All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island, SC
In this month's issue (click on any title):
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS from the Deacon
The Gift to be Simple
“Tis
the gift to be simple,
‘tis the gift to be free,
‘tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight…”
These words, written in 1848 by Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett, resonate with me today as I sit at my computer. It is mid-November, and our area stores are rapidly filling up with Christmas decorations and merchandise. How many shopping days do I have left? What in the world will I buy for my family members, nearly all of whom already have more than they need? Our culture surrounds us with the clear message at this time of year that happiness is to be found in giving and getting expensive gifts and accumulating a great many things. But our liturgical calendar quietly suggests the opposite.
Twice each year our church schedules a season that invites us to simplify our lives so that we can slow down, spend more quiet time with God, and get a better sense of who we are, whose we are, what in our lives makes sense – and what does not. One of those seasons – Advent – begins this year on Sunday, December 2nd, and lasts for twenty-three days.
This afternoon I visited a family that lives near Spanish Wells Road. To get to their home, I left the sunny, paved road, turned onto a narrow dirt road, and followed it as it wound through the woods for the better part of a mile. Then I turned onto an even smaller dirt road and finally arrived at the family’s dark trailer. I was greeted by their free-ranging chickens and several of their children returning from school. They invited me in to meet all the children (so many children!) and hold a baby who must have been less than a month old. The baby’s mother was missing some front teeth; grandma was in the kitchen.
I left after about twenty minutes to drive home. Driving home meant entering my gated community and driving four miles through the lovely, park-like “plantation.” Was this the same island where that family was living in the dilapidated, rented trailer? It hardly seemed possible.
By the time you read this, we will have celebrated Thanksgiving, the holiday we associate with the Pilgrims and the Puritans. John Winthrop, leader of the English expedition on its way to found Boston, preached to his followers: “We must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of others’ necessities.” This was necessary not only for the expedition’s survival but for the heritage they were to bequeath: “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us.”
Clearly, I have too much, too many “superfluities.” The people living in trailers so close to me probably have too many “necessities.” My life is too cluttered, and I need to simplify. If I and other rich people like me simplify our lives, consume less, own less, we will receive “the gift to be simple,” and through that, “the gift to be free.” If we use our excess wealth to help others who have too little, then all of us, both the too-rich and the too-poor, will receive the best Christmas gift we could possibly get. Perhaps then we will “find ourselves in the place just right; it will be in the valley of love and delight…”
Sandy
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THE ASSOCIATE’S CORNER
As you read this, Advent will have just begun, and – as they say – “Christmas is coming.” Christmas is not merely a sacramental journey into the past. It is the means by which we come to grips with the truth of the Gospel – that the Christ lives in us and we in him. Thus, Bethlehem is not a pilgrimage to Israel but rather to our towns. Similarly, the manger is not just another tourist attraction. It is our homes and our parish.
May each of us discover anew the presence of the Lord with us this Christmas and throughout the New Year.
Blessings,
Mark
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SENIOR WARDEN’S REPORT
This month my report must be written before the vestry meeting. It is also just before Thanksgiving. My thoughts turn to all the reasons to be thankful at All Saints in 2007. Certainly the arrival of Mark Brinkmann and his loving family is a highlight. He brings so much and gives Rick a chance to get back to a reasonable work-week. Rick's welcoming, pastoral care, and enthusiasm are topnotch. Our volunteer clergy staff of Sandy, Chad, Roger and Bob Hansel bring us the kind of support normally found in a much larger parish. The very successful Cornerstone Campaign makes it possible for us to bring Mark here, increase our mission/outreach work by $40,000 per year and pay off our debt over the next two years. The parish Long Range Plan is complete and is being implemented. The new Hay chapel is almost complete and will be dedicated before year’s end. All the new families that make All Saints their church family are certainly a blessing. The music is now a delight. The Preschool is full and hums along. Our dedicated staff makes all this possible. Our budget is balanced. All of you in our parish family who volunteer to make our parish flourish are reasons to give thanks. We really are making progress on our parish mission. My special thanks also goes to the wonderful 2007 vestry and its officers.
We Really Are Blessed. Thanks Be To God!
--Bob Moore
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VESTRY NOMINATIONS SOUGHT
You hear and read so much about the vestry, so why not consider becoming a vestry member yourself? Nominations are now being received, so please contact the church office or any member of the nominating committee: Bob Moore, Sue Senden, Margaret Collins, or Peg Hamilton. Feel free to self-nominate or nominate another member of the All Saints family. Note: nominees must be members of the Episcopal Church.
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STEWARDSHIP – MISSION AND MINISTRY
[Editor’s Note: the following comes to us from the Church Times, UK. Saki Samaoko, who was interviewed, is a Sudanese youth worker. He seems to be in his mid-twenties.]
In our diocese, I might cycle for a week to reach a church that needs my help. I don’t use a car, and Maridi diocese (in southern Sudan) is very big: about 290 miles just to attend their local church each Sunday.
I was brought up in a Christian home and went to church and Sunday School. But a lot has happened in my life, and without my faith in my life, and without my faith I don’t think I would have coped. When I was very young I was admitted to a hospital for two months, and my mother was told I would not live. When I was discharged, the priest came and baptized me. Yet I survived.
The Arab militia invaded our village when I was six. I saw them behead my father and many others. Our homes and crops were destroyed; but the rest of my family miraculously survived. We were left alone, and went and hid in the forest.
My diocesan job is not paid. The church in Sudan has little money. If we have a conference, people give things. Our family lives off the land; we sell things from our small farm. We have crops and animals. Our staple diet is rice and maize flour, but we have eggs and sometimes beef.
As a child, I always wanted to be a doctor, and still plan to train. I feel very strongly about helping other people’s lives, and for me, I think, this is the way; but I am waiting for God to open the door.
I can always remember a particular sermon about loving your enemy as yourself. This is not always easy in our country, but the first letter to the Corinthians has a lot to say about love. I have also learnt a lot from sermons on Galatians 5 about the fruit of the spirit.
I would like to get locked in a church with Jesus or Martin Luther King. I think they both could give me a lot of guidance.
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CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL
During this season of Advent, Father Rick and the children will be preparing for the Nativity the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This will be accomplished through stories and hands-on projects. The class meets upstairs at 9 a.m. Parents of children ages two through 5th grade are encouraged to enroll them into this wonderful and exciting Sunday visit though The Kingdom of God that Father Rick has planned.
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ALL SAINTS 2008 SURVEY TRIP
February 17-25, 2008
“I had to see it with my own eyes, and I wake up thinking about what we are called to do. It is an ‘accident of our birth’ that we were born here and have so much in this country. Bishop Holguin has given us the opportunity to be effective. It is my job to convince as many people as possible to jump in immediately – with financial support and/or people.” Linda Lanier
Experience the work of the Episcopal Church in the Dominican Republic first-hand. Tour the schools and churches of the diocese, meet the clergy, the school teachers and children, and those who make our mission work possible. The range of travel will be from Barahona on the west to San Pedro de Macoris on the east – all locations are along the Caribbean side of the island. We will also have time for a bit of sightseeing while we are staying in Colonial Santo Domingo. We need to have a commitment by December 2, 2007, to enable the purchase of affordable tickets. The expenses for the trip should be between $1500-2000 per person, including airfare, lodging, meals, and ground transportation. Meetings will be held prior to the trip to ensure that everyone is well-informed and prepared.
If you would like to be part of this group, please contact Fr. Rick or John and Bonnie Gruetzmacher at 987-5267 or email them at bonniegee@embarqmail.com. The inquiry deadline for this trip is Sunday, December 2, 2007.
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ADVENT MEDITATION
A quiet morning of advent meditation with time for reflection, a Eucharist service and a light lunch will be offered by the All Saints Chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the King at All Saints on Monday, December 3.
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., and the program will begin at 9:30 a.m. Fr. Lindsey will conduct the program, which will focus on cultivating alertness for signs of God’s presence in our lives. The public is invited, so please make your reservations early by calling 342-3441.
--John Berry and Fran McLean
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PART-TIMERS TO MEET
The Part-Timers, a social group of parishioners, has resumed its monthly meetings after the summer break. Anyone who lives in the area part-time is invited to attend. All you have to do is bring a hors d’oeuvre; drinks are supplied. The next meeting will be held on Monday, December 3, at 5:30 p.m. at the home of Heidi and Joe Huddleston, 111 Governor’s Harbour in Hilton Head Plantation. To RSVP, or for directions and gate passes, please call 342-9253.
--Heidi Huddleston
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ALL SAINTS ECW will have its December meeting on Tuesday the 4th beginning at 6 p.m. Drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres will make the evening a party! The program will be on a craft theme first making decorative name tag necklaces for the Christmas Tea and then, time permitting, table favors for the children who will participate in the Needy Family Christmas Dinner Party. All ladies of the parish ages eighteen years and older are considered members of the ECW and are encouraged to attend. The sign up sheet is located on the parish hall bulletin board. If transportation is an issue, please contact Marilyn Adams in the church office.
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DECEMBER’S ‘FIRST WEDNESDAY’ PROGRAM on December 5 will be the rescheduled September program of The Rt. Rev. William J. Skilton, retired Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of South Carolina. Bishop Skilton, born and raised in Cuba, who sees himself as culturally Latino, will engage the congregation about our role as Christians with those seeking a new life in America. The Christian journey in our ‘temporary homes’ is similar to the journey of the immigrant searching for meaning and life. What is our responsibility as fellow sojourners? The dinner sign up sheet is located on the parish hall bulletin board. Liturgy begins at 5:15 p.m., dinner at 5:45 and the program is 6:30-7:30. All are welcome!
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EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TEA
The annual ECW Christmas Tea will be held on Sunday, Dec. 9th, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the home of Sara Dodenhoff in Hilton Head Plantation.
All ladies of All Saints, young and young at heart, are invited to attend. The sign up sheet can be found outside the front door of the church after both the 8:00 and 10:15 services and in Gordon Mann Hall during coffee hour. Please indicate whether you will need a gate pass.
For more information, or to RSVP, please call Marian Passannante at 342-7975.
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DINNER AND A MOVIE This event, part of All Saints’ Small Groups Program, will held at the home of the rector on Monday the 10th beginning with dinner at 5:30 p.m. followed by the movie and lively discussions. Reservations are limited to 12 persons and the sign-up sheet will be located on the parish hall bulletin board. Sign up early!
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2008 PLEDGE ENVELOPES As you are no doubt aware, the 2008 Every Member Canvass is in its final stages. New 2008 envelopes will be available for pickup December 16 for those who are currently using them. If you are not, and would like to, please contact Marilyn Adams in the parish office or leave a request in the collection plate.
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LIGHTS OF REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
This annual event will be held on December 16 at 5 p.m. and is for anyone who has lost a loved one, family member or friend, especially around the holidays. The service is composed of Taizé music and comforting words from The Good Book and Psalter. A small reception will follow the service.
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CHRISTMAS DINNER BASKETS
Plans are underway for this annual outreach project.
As in the past, we are asking for your support by volunteering in any one (or all) of three ways:
We need individuals and or groups to ‘adopt/sponsor’ the families that we are assigned. A sign-up sheet will soon be available with specific family numbers. Volunteers will do the food shopping (a sample menu will also posted on the bulletin board with suggested food items), basket assembly, and basket delivery to the families the week before Christmas Day.
If you are unable to volunteer as a sponsor for one of these families, you may wish to help out by donating non-perishable food items. Collection baskets will be set out and a list of needed items will be posted in the parish hall.
Finally, cash donations will be needed purchase fresh items for the dinner baskets for those families who do not have a sponsor. Your check should be made out to All Saints Episcopal Church with the notation “Holiday Baskets.”
If you have any questions, please email Lois Southwick at RAFFSMOM@yahoo.com or call her at 671-2295.
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CHILDREN’S NATIVITY PAGEANT will be held at the 5 p.m. Family Service on Christmas Eve. All children and visiting grandchildren are welcome to participate. Be here at the church at 4 p.m. for costume fitting. Parents and grandparents who would be willing to lend the rector a hand with the dress rehearsal should call him at the church office.
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CHRISTMAS SEASON SERVICES
Carols with the Congregation will be held Christmas Eve from 9:30 – 10:00 p.m.
A Festival Holy Eucharist will follow at 10:00 p.m.
Christmas Day Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 9:00 a.m.
Christmas Lessons and Carols will be held on Monday December 31 at 5:00 p.m.
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LOCAL MISSION AND OUTREACH
Mission and outreach to our local south of the Broad community is alive and well at All Saints.
Funds totaling $700 were contributed from Local Mission and Outreach and from Episcopal Church Women for the December 8 Christmas Party for 25 families (see article elsewhere in this issue). This event has been organized by Island resident Sherron Nesbitt who has felt called to do this for families receiving assistance from Deep Well.
Eighteen holiday food baskets were assembled and delivered to Deep Well and Bluffton Self-Help families prior to Thanksgiving. That food and fund drive is ongoing, and we will have 18 more families to provide for at Christmas. This long-standing tradition at all Saints continues to provide warmth, gratitude, and love to participating All Saints volunteers.
Friends With Wheels provides approximately 50 rides per month to folks in the community who need transportation, primarily for health care visits. Many people are turned away because of a lack of drivers. This is an outreach project where many hands (on a steering wheel!) would surely make light work. Please volunteer to drive to receive calls on just one day a month. Contact George Collett at 689-3651 to find out how to give your time (and gas) to this worthwhile effort. Help show the community how caring the folks at All Saints continue to be.
MLK, Jr., Day will be coming up on Monday, Jan. 21. All Saints has been well-represented in the commemoration for many years, walking behind our banner in the parade. We’ll want to have the same large turnout again this year. Carmen Cunningham and Jen Gajdalo will need help carrying that banner!
Family Promise of Beaufort County now has 11 churches and 12 support congregations participating in the planning. Fundraising is now a priority. The first homeless families will be accepted in April 2008. A committee is being formed at All Saints in conjunction with Congregation Beth Yam to begin planning for our first guests. The Beaufort County School Board reports 125 homeless school-aged children currently registered. Imagine how many more there are who are less than school age. Please let Ginny Trolley or Loni Saunders know how you would like to help minister to families in great need right in our own community.
And don’t forget to pick up an All Saints Local Mission and Outreach grant application for your community organization for 2008. Applications must be submitted by February 1st.
--Ginny Trolley
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GARDEN TOUR NEWS
Here it is December already, only five more months until the Garden Tour. This past month Caroline McVitty and Jan Hooper have been busy choosing gardens and, oh! it is so exciting we can hardly wait for you all to see them.
Can you imagine we had requests from 23 different organizations for the 2008 proceeds. It was really difficult choosing six when they all were worthy. Winners will be announced as soon as we have had time to notify the various organizations.
Now enjoy the month of December and don't forget the Artists Exhibit at the Hilton Head Library which opens December 17 and runs through January 26. We have 56 artists entering the poster contest this year, keeping Joyce & Don Nagel very busy. Our Artist's Reception needs to be added to your calendar for Tuesday, January 22. Besides wanting you all to come and show your appreciation and party with the artists, Shirley Pearse and Lee Woodruff will be asking for volunteers to help prepare food and serve.
Now don't be disappointed if there is not enough work to go around at this early date because the day of the tour Bob O'Flaherty and Ron Fialkowski will be needing parkers, Betty Tufts and Judy Russert will need hostesses, Lillian Hill and Gerry Foss will be needing lots of goodies for the bake sale. Helen Hamilton and Muffy Schulze are already collecting items for the boutique and would love to see what ideas you might have for either items or ideas to contribute. Joe Bell is eager to get started on the ticket graphics while George Collett and Di Oviatt are patiently waiting for their important position of distribution of tickets and managing the sales end of our event. Of course Carolyn Moore will be out there with posters getting the word out and will appreciate help as well. Kim Alcock and Sara Dodenhoff along with a committee will be planning our premier party that honors our garden owners; it will be held at a very special destination. Of course Fred & Mary Anne Gebler started right away in September strategizing our publicity approach. Marilyn Johnson is as usual interested in making everything beautiful, so she is chair of decor which will be enjoyed the day of the event in our hall and around the church property. Oh, yes, with food we are fortunate and have Pat Collett and Bobbie Cubbage again at the helm, so you know it will be great. I certainly do not want to overlook the Hamps: Wil is our treasurer and Linda is secretary. Then of course there is my co-chair Elizabeth Loda, who is always on hand and so organized too.
So you have just met our Garden Tour Board for 2008 and I do hope you have already identified a way to get involved. Just stop any of us at church and let us know how you would like to help.
--Rosalie Van Dam, Chair
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ALL SAINTS PRESCHOOL NEWS
Thank you to all who ordered greenery from the preschool. The generosity of the church members is very much appreciated and of course we had some great sales people from the preschool also. Our highest seller was Ms. Erika McGoldrick, and who is helping Daufuskie Island become very festive with seven wreaths, six rolls of garland, and twelve bags of fresh pecans! Remember the delivery date for the wreaths is December 7. Wreaths will be available for Preschool family pick up after 12:00 in the parish hall; after that they will be located in the adjacent classroom. All wreaths should be picked up by Sunday, December 9.
Our Christmas program and tea is scheduled for December 20 at 10:30 a.m. We will present the Nativity Pageant, followed by some festive music from around the world. We welcome all church members to join us for the morning and get in the spirit of the season. Children in angel and shepherd costumes always get me in the mood for a blessed Christmas.
The church is planning to have a Nativity Pageant on Christmas Eve at the 5:00 p.m. service. All Preschool families have been invited to attend and your children can participate if you would like. Please let Ms. Nan know or you can contact Father Rick Lindsey directly at the church 681-8333. Children will need to be at the church at 4 p.m. on December 24 to get costumes on and line up.
School will be on holiday break from December 20 at 12:00 noon until January 7, 2008! Please mark your calendars now and have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
--Nan Thompson
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2008 DIOCESAN MEDICAL MISSION TRIP
June 4-14, 2008
“Before this trip I was at a loss to explain the difference between being a part of a medical trip and a medical missionary trip. I now know the difference. I could not have done the jobs assigned to me on this trip without being part of a Christian team. Daily we gained strength through prayer and through the support of each other. It was a truly amazing experience and I am ready to go again next year!” Dale Finn
Applications are being accepted for the 2008 medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic. The team consists of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, translators, and non-medical support persons. Applications are available by contacting team leader Cheryl Allen in Charleston by email at Dacama1@myfam.com or by phone at 1-843-556-0324 or by contacting All Saints parishioner Dale Finn at 705-2317 or by email at dale355@yahoo.com. Dale would be happy to talk to anyone who may be interested in this trip. The approximate cost of the trip is $1700. Deadline for submitting applications for this trip is December 31, 2007.
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NEEDY FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY
Local artist Sherron Nesbitt is organizing a special Christmas dinner party to be held on Saturday, December 8 in the family center at St. Francis by the Sea Catholic Church on Beach City road. Twenty-five of the island’s neediest families will be entertained and fed a wonderful holiday dinner. Even Santa will pay a visit with gifts for the children! The parents will receive Publix gift certificates and tins of homemade cookies.
All SAINTS are invited to join in and can support this effort in a number of ways: decorating, assembling and wrapping gifts, entertaining children, cooking (especially cookie bakers), serving, cleaning up and contributing financially. Our ECW and other volunteers will create table favors for the children.
Sign-up sheets are posted on the front bulletin board in the parish hall or you can call Lee Woodruff or Lucy Marshall, our All Saints representatives, to become involved in any of the above supporting efforts. To contribute financially, contact Sherron Nesbitt at 681-4849.
--Lee Woodruff
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A COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER
Hosted by Sticky Fingers Restaurant located on Palmetto Bay Road, will be held on Tuesday December 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings will be served buffet style, free of charge, for anyone away from their families. Reservations are encouraged. Call 304-1086.
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FROM THE PARISH OFFICE…
THE OFFICIAL IRS DEADLINE for donations to be recorded in 2007 is December 31st. If you plan to be out of town for the holidays and want to mail in your donation, your enveloped must be post-marked on or before December 31. The parish office will be closed on Monday the 31st.
ARE YOU CPR CERTIFIED? As we continue to focus on our safety procedures for all church functions, it would be good to know who among us has completed CPR training. If you have, please let the church office know.
MANY THANKS from the church staff to our welcoming ‘Front Desk’ ministers this past year- Kay Ashton, Susan Beaver, Sally de Guzman, Claire Knapp, and Peg Tuttle; and my special thanks go to my other ‘right hand,’ Nancy Stephens.
--Marilyn Adams
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AND NOW FOR A SMILE…
Give me a sense
of humor, Lord,
Give me the grace to see a joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And pass it on to other folk.
--from the Gibsons
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ALL SAINTS 2008 CONSTRUCTION TRIP
Late February 2008
“The church/school will not only enable spreading of the gospel to new parishioners, but will enable children to become educated who would not have that chance otherwise. All in all, the trip was very successful and I would go there again if needed.” – Fred Finn
Anyone with an interest in hands-on service, regardless of their level of manual construction skills, is welcome to become a member of this construction team. The 2008 trip to work at the La Redencion School and Church in the city of Barahona is planned for late February (dates TBA). The type of work will depend on the building progress. It may be assisting with masonry work, clean-up and prep of construction areas, carpentry, or painting. Approximate cost of the trip is $1500, including airfare, lodging, meals, and ground transportation. Meetings will be held prior to the trip to ensure that everyone is well-informed and prepared.
For more information about the work, contact Mark Szen at 342-5800 or email him at mszen@hargray.com, or call Fred Finn at 705-2317. The deadline for this trip is Sunday, January 13, 2008.
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KNITTING INTO THE MYSTERY
Calling all knitters, crocheters, needle workers, and anyone who might be interested in our new Prayer Shawl Ministry. Mark your calendar now to attend our first meeting on January 15th from 10:00 a.m. until noon at All Saints. Come and share in the history of this ministry and find out what our plans are for this new form of outreach. Even if you have never held a needle of any kind, but would like to learn, please join us.
--Shea Szachara
[Editor’s Note: one church I attend when traveling is Trinity Episcopal in Cleveland, OH; their newsletter, “Cathedral Connection,” came to me while I was working on this month’s issue of the “PB” and contained the following from Trinity’s Dean, The Very Rev. Tracey Lind. It works in nicely with the new Prayer Shawl Ministry. Enjoy!]
From the Dean
A few months ago, in the middle of the long, grey Ohio winter, I preached a sermon about fly fishing. Since then, lots of people have e-mailed me, stopped me walking through the Piazza, or beckoned to me on Sunday morning – just to talk about fly fishing. Something about my love affair with this pastime – part sport, part art – has captured the imagination and the spiritual longing of many people. Perhaps it is that, as I wrote, “fly fishing is the first thing in which I have not cared about the end result.”
Recently at a Trinity management team meeting, we talked about the various hobbies and activities that, like fly fishing for me, connect us to our spiritual selves. The list was as varied as the group that works here at Trinity…Our list was widely varied, but no one hesitated in answering the question, “What do you do that brings you closer to God?” We all knew that the question was asking how we find those “thin places” where the Holy Spirit and God’s creation come together to heal our souls and free our spirits.
[Dean Lind then continues with the announcement that the Rev. Susan Izard, a UCC minister and author of Knitting into the Mystery: A Guide to the Shawl-Knitting Ministry would be holding a retreat there at Trinity in mid-November for Trinity’s knitting group, the Knitting Pearls. Her column then continues:]
Whether or not your pastime of the spirit includes knitting needles, a hockey stick, a fishing rod or simply the quiet holiness of creation, I offer to you an excerpt of a prayer from Knitting into the Mystery:
“May I begin, O God, and merely begin
Again to knit essential habits of the heart
In this my life…my community…
May I begin my listening…yes listening
to the rapid beating within my heart…
to the slow rhythm of my breathing…
to the clatter and pain of the world…
to a still small voice that says, Peace:
Be still…and know that I am God…As winter descends again and Advent draws near, let us all begin again to knot the essential habits of our hearts into our lives. Amen.
--The Very Rev. Tracey Lind, Dean
Trinity Cathedral
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E-MAIL DIRECTORY
E-mail communication has become quite the norm these days for a majority of our parishioners. The parish office has received requests that e-mail addresses be included in our Parish Telephone Directory. The next printing of the directory for parish-wide distribution will be available at our annual meeting on January 27. If you would like to have your e-mail address included in this directory, please contact Marilyn Adams via e-mail at allsaints@hargray.com no later than Wednesday January 16.
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ADULT EDUCATION UPDATE
New Adult Education Groups...
Two new adult education opportunities will begin in January. Sherman and Carol Barker will be leading “Christianity and Culture” on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. beginning January 22 and continuing through February 26. Pat Amer will be leading a group on the "Five Commandants of Jesus” at 5 p.m. on non-First Wednesday evenings at the church beginning in January. Sign-up sheets for both groups are in the parish hall. Watch Sunday’s Parish Life for more details.
--Fred Hill
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
Calling all “Saints” to the All Saints annual meeting on Sunday, January 27, 2008, after the 10:15 service. The meeting, which will follow a light lunch, will feature vestry elections and other important items of interest to all parishioners. Please plan to attend, and watch for further information to come.
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ALL SAINTS 2008 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Late June/early July
“I know there are those of you who say, ‘I could never go down there.’ Trust me, never say never! Yes, it’s hot. No, there’s not always hot water. I believe I can speak for the group when I say that those of us who have been will never be the same. It could change your life. It could change your career. I promise it will at least change your perspective.” Mary Elaine Jenkins
A VBS trip is planned for La Redencion in Barahona for late June/early July 2008; the potential dates are June 21-20 or June 28-July 5, 2008. This very special ministry is open to parishioners of all ages. Young people who have experienced at least one state-side mission trip are encouraged to participate. The teaching curriculum of Bible stories in Spanish is provided along with guidance for making crafts under the tutelage of very creative parishioner Soozi Williams! You don’t have to speak Spanish to have an incredible experience with the children of Barahona. Informational meetings and training sessions will be held prior to the trip to ensure that everyone is well-prepared. Approximate cost for the trip is $1500 including airfare, lodging, meals, and ground transportation.
To learn more about the VBS experience, contact Mark Szen at 342-5800 or email him at mszen@hargray.com. The deadline for this trip is Sunday, May 11, 2008.
--Bonnie and John Gruetzmacher
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SUPPER CLUBS 2008
Don't miss out on enjoying 2008 sprinkled with a monthly dinner in fellowship with 8 to 10 other All Saints parishioners, casually adorned and festively spirited!
Our 10 groups of 10 to 12 singles and couples have had a great 2007 Supper Club experience. If you aren't participating now, or never joined before, don't miss this opportunity for informal dinners with each group's members rotating as hosts in their homes. For those who head for a cooler climate in the summer, don't let this stop you from joining the fun – some groups take a hiatus for two or three months during that period.
Our annual "Kick-Off" pot luck supper will be held Tuesday, January 15, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. in Gordon Mann Hall at which time the groups and group coordinators will be posted. You don't need to attend to participate in the Supper Clubs but you'll be missing a fun event!
Please fill out the simple on-line Supper Clubs form or fill out the paper form and deliver or mail it to the church or place it in the manila envelope on the big GMH bulletin board. If you have any questions, please call Barbara Good at 363-5388. Camaraderie of the best kind awaits you when you sign-up!
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CORNERSTONE CAMPAIGN NEWS
Fall, 2007
A summary of the results of the campaign to date is as follows:
Pledges totaling nearly $1,200,000, to be paid over a three year period, were received by the Cornerstone Campaign last year. The 155 pledges ranged from $20 to $120,000, and every one of them is important to the success of the campaign.
|
RANGE OF PLEDGE AMOUNT |
NUMBER OF PLEDGES |
| $ 50,000 to $120,000 | 5 |
| $ 20,000 to $ 45,000 | 9 |
| $ 10,000 to $ 18,000 | 15 |
| $ 5,000 to $ 9,000 | 17 |
| $ 3,000 to $ 4,500 | 50 |
| $ 1,000 to $ 2,700 | 37 |
| $ 20 to $ 900 | 22 |
| Total number of pledges | 155 |
Since the beginning of the campaign , a total of $459,000 or about 40% has been paid against these pledges.
In addition, eight parishioners have given a total of $854 unpledged to the Cornerstone Campaign.
Of the money received to date, $365,000 has been used to pay down the mortgage. The mortgage balance has been reduced from over $660,000 to less than $300,000, saving us more than $25,000 per year in interest charges.
Our missions program has also been the beneficiary of the campaign proceeds with $20,099 going to our work in the Dominican Republic and $13,925 to our local missions.
Replacing the carpet in Gordon Mann Hall and opening up the library for larger groups was done with funds raised by the Cornerstone Campaign.
The campaign has also allowed us to hire an associate priest, Father Mark Brinkmann, who joined us this past summer.
Remember:
The sooner we receive your pledge payments, the sooner we will be able to pay off the mortgage. EVERY DOLLAR PAID ON THE PRINCIPAL MEANS 7 CENTS LESS INTEREST WE HAVE TO PAY TO THE BANK EVERY YEAR!
Ready to make a payment on your pledge?
Just drop your check in the collection plate on any Sunday. Be sure to make a notation on your check that it is for the Cornerstone Campaign. Remember, your early payment on your pledge brings a big bonus to All Saints by enabling us to pay down OCir mortgage sooner and keeping the interest we otherwise would owe to increase our mission work.
Haven't made a pledge yet to the Cornerstone Campaign?
It's not too late to do so. Your dollars will help to go that extra mile over and above the basic needs of our parish and help to expand our mission work both at home and abroad.
Stock Gifts:
If you would like to donate stock to the church, please call Mark Szen (342-5800), Wil Hamp (681-9754) or the church office (681-8333) to learn how to utilize our new discount brokerage account to handle the transaction.
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