Preschool Closing; All Saints Church e-News

One heresy in the early church was called Donatism. The Donatist's held that the sacraments were only efficacious if presided over by priests who were sinless. It didn't take the church long to realize that if it held to this policy there would be no sacraments for anyone. So if the gospel can be proclaimed through the preaching of a sinner, then we must allow for the possibility that God's healing may be accomplished through extraordinary means. God chooses a boy too young to be taken seriously to anoint as one chosen to lead Israel. When the prophet Samuel is sent by God to find the new king who will replace Saul, Samuel goes through a long line of all Jesse's tall, strapping, competent-looking sons of appropriate age. When none of them are chosen, finally Jesse sends for young David. All of the obvious-to-us choices were declined in favor of a boy. What we may see as authoritative, respectable, and trustworthy may not always align with God. Sunday's first reading reminds us that "the Lord does not see as mortals see" (1 Sam. 16:7).

This theme of sight runs throughout Sunday's texts, both in terms of how God does not see as we see and also in Jesus' healing of a man born blind. Jesus chooses to heal a blind man on the Sabbath with dirt and saliva, much to the dismay of the good religious people who were certain they knew better than to display such questionable judgment and behavior. Lent is a time to reevaluate. Let it also be a time to examine the ways in which we do not see what God is doing around us because we too think we know better. Bottom line: God often uses the unexpected to accomplish redemption. (Sundays and Seasons, 2017)

Grace, peace and light,

Bill+

Lenten Liturgy News

This Lent our Worship Liturgy (liturgy means the work of the people) will include the following features chosen for this penitential season: new opening acclamation (BCP p.355), use of a Kyrie in place of the "Gloria" song of praise, the Psalm will be chanted with choir/cantor and congregation sung refrain, the Prayers of the People will be fixed using Form I (BCP p.383), a Lenten Confession, Eucharistic Prayer A (BCP p.361), and sung Sanctus (Holy, Holy) and Angus Dei (Lamb of God) for Lent.

The sending blessing will be:

May God who has called us forth from the dust of the earth, and claimed us as children of the light, strengthen you on your journey into life renewed. The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord's face shine upon you with grace and mercy, The Lord look upon you with favor and give you [+] peace.

Amen.

All Saints Preschool to Close

On March 6th our Rector, Linda Pacheco, Preschool Board Chair, and Linda Siracusa, Preschool Director received letters of resignation from teachers Terry Colby and Tammy Jones. On March 19th upon the recommendation of the Preschool Board and Vestry Executive Committee, the vestry voted to accept those letters and close All Saints Preschool after twenty years of operation. This was a very difficult decision for both the teachers (one of whom has a full-time job opportunity) and was not made easily.

Both Terry and Tammy have shared how much they have loved their positions at All Saints and couldn't be more thankful for all the support from the Church and most importantly our Preschool Board, particularly in the rough years when it was their efforts that kept the school going. They mentioned the highlight of their years with the preschool as working with the children and even seeing some of them graduate high school.

We will celebrate the ministry of our Preschool and have prayers of thanksgiving and Godspeed for Terry and Tammy during worship in late May or early June. Please keep the Preschool students, families, staff and board in prayer during this time of transition. The vestry will be discerning what God is calling us to do with the gift of space that has been dedicated to the preschool and will spend time during an early June retreat. Please share any thoughts, ideas, or concerns with Wardens Don Holm and Bill Meyer, or Pastor Bill.

Tammy and Terry

Epischopal Church of NH Lay Leadership Institute 2017

Registration is now open for the 2017 Lay Leadership Institute (LLI). We are offering ten different seminars this year, more than ever before. The LLI will take place in the Rundlett Middle School in Concord on Saturday, May 6. As before, a continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Registration is on a first come, first served basis. Since each seminar is limited by room size to 30 persons, and seminar leaders may cancel a seminar with fewer than six registrants, it is vital that you signal your intention to attend by registering in advance. Participants are asked to register for their first, second, and third choices. Registrants will receive confirmation of registration and seminar selection by email.
Information on the seminars may be found on our diocesan website: www.nhepiscopal.org/lay-leadership

Easter Flowers

If you would like to dedicate a contribution toward Easter flowers please have your dedications to Deb in the office by April 9th. You can email your request to allsaints@metrocast.net or drop the completed dedication slip, provided in the bulletin, in the plate or in the office.

Worhip Assistants and Coordinators Needed

We schedule worship assistants on a three month cycle. If you would like to serve in any of these areas, please contact the coordinator or church office if there is no coordinator listed. We are in need of a couple of individuals to coordinate training for roles (we have new role descriptions prepared by worship and music ministry team) for ushers and presenters, and lectors (readers) as well as coordinate scheduling with our parish administrator Deb. Please contact the church office to volunteer for any of these roles. Thanks!

Greeters: Sarah Day, coordinator

Ushers and Presenters: needed

Lectors (readers): needed

Eucharistic Ministers: Pat McLaughlin, coordinator

Altar Guild: Sue Harding, co-chair

Flower Guild: Louise Graham, chair

Dream Group

Have you ever had a dream that puzzled you, whose images could not be forgotten. A dream group is a great way to begin to understand how we speak to ourselves in our dreams. I hope you will join us in this sacred journey to the self. "A dream unexamined is like a letter unopened." Facilitation offered by Linda Brown MSW.

WE WILL MEET THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH BEGINNING IN APRIL, AT 11:30- 1:00 OR 1:30.

BRING A LUNCH OR HAVE A SNACK AT COFFEE HOUR.

Wolfeboro Reads - Discover Islam

Tuesdays in Lent 4:00-5:30 pm in the Beck Memorial Library at All Saints we will gather for a series of short documentary films and discussion about our Muslim neighbors. Discover Islam has partnered with several church denominations including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the United Church of Christ (UCC) to provide these award-winning documentaries. Pastors Bill and Gina will provide additional resources throughout the series. Resources, including study guides, are available at: http://www.discoverislam.com/elca

Color at Coffee Hour

Please feel free at coffee hour to sit at one of the posters in the Parish Hall to help finish getting them colored. Thank You!

New Directory

The new directory, printed in February, is available in PDF form. Please email your request to Deb at allsaints@metrocast.net. If you would like a paper copy please stop by the office to pick one up.

Publishing the e-News

Please send announcements for the e-News to Carolyn at csundquist@roadrunner.com

Yoga with Bree and Amalie!

Save the date! Join certified yoga teacher Bree Schuette and therapy bunny Amalie for a very special yoga class on Saturday, March 25th at 1pm in the Parish Hall. This relaxing class is suitable for all ages (children are very welcome!) and ability levels.

All participants are encouraged to bring a pair (or more) of socks to donate to our ' Can U Spare a P air' campaign. Donated socks will be sent to No More Deaths, an outstanding organization providing humanitarian outreach to individuals crossing the dangerous Arizona desert.

Can U Spare a Pair

In a time of great global uncertainty, we are all looking for ways to reach out and help

those who are in need. Sometimes, however, the problems seem so overwhelmingly

huge that it is difficult to know where we can start. But, there are ways that we can all

help.

One way is by contributing pairs of socks - men's, women's, and children's - to our "Can

U Spare a Pair" campaign. A large pink cardboard box with this slogan can be found on

a table at the back of the undercroft. Please put your clean socks of any size in this

box. Each of these sturdy pairs of socks will then be sent to the No More Deaths

organization in Arizona.

No More Deaths is a humanitarian group that distributes aid to individuals and families

who have already crossed the U.S. border and are continuing their hazardous journey

across the Arizona desert. Each year, more than 200 individuals die on this journey -

many falling victim to blisters and a lack of appropriate footwear.

The socks that we are shipping help people, many of them vulnerable women and

children, maintain their health and safety in challenging desert conditions. These socks

are not a part of immigration policy - we all have different values and opinions on this

question. These socks do not change the decisions that people make to cross or not

cross the border. Rather these socks are about human dignity and health, and the

challenging journeys, literal and figurative, that we all make.

Thank you for sparing a pair ...

Bree Schuette

Bible Study

Join us as we move more deeply into God's Word. We will walk through Romans to bring contemporary application of Scripture to life. Discover how you can participate more fully in God's kingdom as we read Paul's letter to the Romans. We gather on Thursday afternoons 3:00-4:00 pm followed by a brief Eucharist in the Beck Memorial Library.

Lent Madness

Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of the Rev. Tim Schenk in seeking a fun, engaging way for people to learn about the men and women comprising the Church's Calendar of Saints.

Want to learn more and join the fun? Go to http://www.lentenmadness.org/about/

End 68 Hours of Hunger

END 68 HOURS OF HUNGER thanks you for your contributions to their box at the entrance of the Sanctuary. Now that school has started the items that are particularly needed are those geared to children like peanut butter and mac n'cheese. Please take a pamphlet which provides helpful suggestions for items to donate.

L.I.F.E. Ministries

FOOD PANTRY - w elcomes and is extremely thankful for any and all donations. Items that are costly and cannot usually be purchased from the Food Bank are especially needed. These items are: Beef Stew, Soup, Canned Fruit, Hash, Spam, Cereal. Thank you for all your donations!

March Calendar

Lord &Tailor Shop Thurs & Fri 10a-3p ~

Sat 10a-1p

Food Pantry Wed 10a-1p ~ 5p-7p

SUNDAY

02:00 p.m. AA Meeting - PH

06:00 p.m. AA Meeting - PH

26th-4th Sunday in Lent

MONDAY

11:00 a.m. Senior Activities & Meal

01:00 p.m. Adult Bridge - Lib

03:00 p.m. ASSTG-Steven's Rm

Groups Scheduled:

TUESDAY

06:30 a.m. Women's Worship -PH

01:30 p.m. Scrabble Club - Lib

04:00p.m. Wolfeboro Reads-Lib

WEDNESDAY

11:00 a.m. Senior Activities & Meal

01:30 p.m. Knitting Club -Lib

06:30 p.m. Choir

05:30 p.m. Table Tennis-PH

Groups Scheduled

THURSDAY

07:30 a.m. Men's Bible Study -PH

03:00 p.m. Bible Study - Lib

03:00 p.m. ASSTG-Steven's Rm

05:00 p.m. Dinner Bell

Groups Scheduled:

FRIDAY

08:00 p.m. AA Meeting - PH

11:00 a.m. Senior Activities & Meal

Groups Scheduled:

SATURDAY

10:00 a.m. AA Meeting - Lib

08:00 p.m. AA Meeting - PH

Groups Scheduled:

01:00 p.m. Yoga with Bree and Amalie

All Saints e-News

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Rev. Bill Petersen

Rector, All Saints Church

Phil Wasmuth

Editor, All Saints E-News

Carolyn Sundquist and Ralph Simons

Associate Editors, All Saints E-News

603-569-3453