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Purpose

 

To be a Community where all persons will encounter the power and 

love of the Living God, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Vision

 

All Saints Episcopal Church is called by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to...

 

·     Worship Jesus Christ

·     Learn and Teach His Word

·     Minister in His Name

·     Proclaim Him and Share the Blessing of His Love

·     Welcome All in His Name

      

The All Saints Messenger
June 22, 2017
In This Issue
  

Gary

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for Thursday, June 22

Luke 21:2-3   [Jesus] also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.

I sometimes teach Flannery O'Connor's story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" in my literature classes. The grandmother in the story is racist, classist, and manipulative throughout the story, but at the end her "head clear[s] for an instant," and she sees that she and "the Misfit" character are part of the same human family. Unfortunately, her post-conversion life lasts only a few seconds before "the Misfit" kills her. At its core, the story is about a person who desperately needed to change and did; the quantified time after her change isn't important when compared to the essence of that change.
 
In our gospel story for today, the widow's two small copper coins make a similar point. The widow cannot offset a shortfall of the temple budget, but Jesus applauds the quality of her gift. God is interested in our souls expanding and our hearts becoming softer and more generous. These changes might not fill coffers or give us length of days, but when our souls expand, we experience the profound reality of being created in God's image, and the kingdom of God comes near.

MOVING FORWARD: How is the dance between quantity and quality going in your life? Are there any adjustments that need to be made?


  
Last weekend to get your donations in!
June is CAM (Crisis Assistance Ministry) month for All Saints.  
CAM is a cooperative ministry of the greater Gastonia faith community and provides emergency food and financial assistance to those facing financial crisis or struggling with the burden of poverty.  CAM needs financial assistance, food contributions, and volunteers.  More information can be found on the table in the Family Life Center. If you have any questions contact Linda Klocker.
ANNOUNCEMENTS

*  Holy Land trip: Fr. Gary and ten others will be in the Holy Land from June 12th-25th. Please keep them all in your prayers. If there is a pastoral need during this time please contact Deacons Cris or Martha. The Rev. Dr. Valori Mulvey Sherer will be All Saints Supply Priest on June 25th. Valori most recently served The Church of the Redeemer in Shelby, NC. Please welcome her.

*   Children's Christian Formation:  Our youth formation committee has been meeting and have decided to place Godly Play in a "Season of Reflection" for the upcoming year. In its place we will be using an Episcopal Church curriculum that is accessible to children and the adults leading it. Presently, we are in need of 10 or more volunteers and a coordinator. At the conclusion of the 2017-2018 year we will assess where we have been with Godly Play and the new curriculum and plan accordingly. If you feel called and/or are interested in this very important ministry please see Fr. Gary.

*  Follow the Holy Land Trip: Follow along on our parishioners journey in the Holy Land

*  Aloha Friday...June 30th...food, fellowship, fun!!  Pizza party and games. Prize for the best hat.  Any children present will be the judges.  6:00-8:00PM. Be there or be square.  Contact Deacon Cris if you have any questions.

*  Parish Breakfast:   Sunday morning breakfast will take place on July 2nd.  If anyone has a special item they would like to bring, please sign up and let us know.   Breakfast starts early for those attending choir practice ( 9:00) and continues until  10:00.  Hopefully we can get more  10:30 people to attend with these expanded hours.  It is a great time to relax and visit!

*  A liturgical change for the summer: We are currently rotating between three alternative Eucharistic prayers written by The Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Liturgy & Music. The three prayers are in booklets placed in each pew. We hope these new prayers, with new images might help open the Eucharist in new and exciting ways for you. The plan is to return to the Prayer Book prayers in the fall. Other minor changes include: a different Gloria, the Contemporary Lord's Prayer (said not sung, also considered by some scholars to be the original prayer of our Lord), new Sanctus & Fraction anthems, and a new Great Amen.

*  Family Promise :   The remaining 2017 dates that we will be host to the Family Promise guests are: 8/6 - 8/13, 10/8 - 10/15. Family Promise is a community program that provides housing and support to families that are less fortunate. All Saints is one of the original churches that helped establish this ministry more than ten years ago. We host families in this ministry four times a year at our parish facilities with assistance from the Redeemer Lutheran Church here in Gastonia. There are many ways to support this ministry. During hosting weeks we need parishioners to greet and engage guests, to provide homework and enrichment activities for the children, to prepare and serve dinner, and to spend the night.The other way that parishioners can assist these families is to donate items that our guests need. Suggested items to donate are clothes, detergent, toothbrushes and toothpaste, small first aid kits, hair products, soap and/or body wash, suitcases (both used or new), 10, 20, and 30 gallon storage tubs w/ lids, towels and washcloths (both used or new), bed linens (both used or new), family friendly movies or videos, board games, & craft supplies.  For more information, or to volunteer please contact Marc Dudley at 704-718-4044 or marcdudleync@gmail.com .

* Parish Nurse Ministry will be taking blood pressures after the 8:00 and 10:30 services on the second Sunday of the month.  Nurses interested in the parish nurse ministry please contact Cheryl Saylor, MSN. 

* Cookbooks:  $10  If you don't need a cookbook, but would like to help our Outreach committee reach their budget goal, consider buying a cookbook to donate to our newcomers committee. Any donated cookbooks will be included in the welcome bag we hand out to newcomers. 

*  The Wednesday morning Bible Study , which meets at the church at  10:00am , is reading "An Altar in the World" by Barbara Brown Taylor.  If this sounds of interest to you, please plan to join us.

*  Food Pantry :  Please help us keep our food pantry stocked.  If you would like to give a monetary donation, we'd be happy to do the shopping for you.

*  Salvation Army Garden:  Planting of the garden is underway to provide vegetables for a salad each week or to use in the meals.   Charlie Jenkins is in charge of the garden along with a team.  We are in need of people/families willing to adopt 1 or 2 plots and do the weeding of those plots.  There is a sheet in the Family Life Center for you to put your name on a plot. In case you didn't know, All Saints provides the meal and fresh salad every  Monday  night at the Salvation Army.  The recipients are always very complimentary of the food provided.  The vestry representatives for the garden are Jerry Wertz and Linda Klocker.

*  Zumba:  All Saints will host a Zumba Gold class on Fridays at 9am in the Family Life Center.  It will be taught by certified instructor Barbara Mooradian who has been teaching for 6 years. Especially suited to older adults or those with mobility issues or restrictions, Zumba Gold has all of the liveliness and fun of Zumba while being low impact and easier on the body. It can even be done while sitting!  Zumba Fitness is fun-filled, energetic, and contagious. You do not have to know how to dance; you just have to enjoy yourself and keep moving!  Classes will be $5 each and payable by the month. Come try it out. You will be glad you did. For more info email Barbara at  bjmooradian1@gmail.com  or call 808-281-7172. See you on Friday.

*  Adult Christian Formation: We are studying "Great Figures of the New Testament." Our guide is the esteemed Jewish scholar Amy-Jill Levine who teaches at Vanderbilt University. What Ms. Levine brings to the table is a unique Jewish understanding of the New Testament, the culture and people of the day. She will take us on a journey of specific characters: who they are, what they do and how they have been assessed across the centuries. We begin at  9:25 AM. Please join us!

*  Parade of Tables:  Save the date!!  Saturday, September 23rd.  

*  Choir:  Rehearsal will now be on Sunday mornings at 9:25am.

*  Sign Up Sheets for coffee hour, altar guild and altar flowers are on the bulletin board in the Family Life Center.  Coffee Hour hosting can be as simple as drinks and cookies.  Coffee hour is provided to have fellowship with our parish family.  Please sign up or call the church office to add your name to the list (704-864-7201).

*  Salvation Army Service Schedule:  Monday, June 26th - Team #2.  (George Sowersby, Nancy Byers & Alex Haymaker)

*  Church Financials: The Vestry wants to make sure that all parishioners are aware that the monthly financial reports are posted on the bulletin boards in The Family Life Center. If you have any concerns or questions please contact Phill Wertz or Fr. Gary.  Thank You!

*  Why Do You Love All Saints?  Who here loves All Saints?  Do you want to tell the world why you love being a part of the All Saints family?  Please help us spread the word about our congregation by telling your All Saints Story.  All Saints Stories will be published on our website:  AllSaintsGastonia.org as well as our facebook and twitter pages.  To submit your story, go to AllSaintsGastonia.org and click "All Saints Stories" under the Parish Life tab.  If you can, please submit a photo with your story.  

* Prayer List:  Our prayer list grows rapidly.  We ask all parishioners to keep the office informed so that our prayer list remains current and manageable.

*  New Partnership: All Saints has entered into a new relationship with the YMCA's Resource Connection Gateway.  This new relationship enables us to help those in need more rapidly and efficiently while also addressing long-term needs versus only addressing immediate concerns.  If you would like more information please see Fr. Gary.

*  Salvation Army Serving:   If anyone is interested in serving at the Salvation Army on Mon. nights from 5:00 to 6:00, please contact Candy Albergine at 704-868-8691 or email  calbergine@gmail.com. We have a couple of spots open and you will find this ministry is a true blessing to all involved. The schedule is on bulletin board in Family Life Center.

*  All Saints Sermons online: Thanks to John Woodward, our sermons are available in audio and video on our website at:  www.allsaintsgastonia.org/sermons
  
*  Free Mulch:  There are several piles of mulch in the upper parking lot that you are welcome to take.  We need to free up some parking spaces in that upper lot.  Please do not take the mulch by the shed as that is intended for the garden.  

*  Church Directory:  Available on the table in the Family Life Center.

*  Towel Ministry:  We are excited and thankful that Vic Cooper and Jim McCarthy have taken over the coordination of our Towel Ministry.  Please approach them and let them know your talents and availability when projects arise.

*  Building Use Policy:  Our buildings are being used more and more and scheduling conflicts are occurring.  Effective immediately, all rooms/buildings will be scheduled by the Parish Administrator by the submission of a form which is available at the office and will soon be available on the web site.  We appreciate your understanding realizing that this will improve our ability to serve our parishioners and ministries.

* Planned Giving: Programs for Outreach Ministries are an important part of our parish.  You can ensure the continuation of these programs by setting up an endowment or including a bequest in your will. The Episcopal Foundation of Western Carolina has set up "The Living Stones Society" to provide Education and training to all clergy and parishioners about setting up a program. For more information see Fr. Gary or call the foundation at 828-225-6656.
  
* Ministry Opportunities: There are a variety of Ministries available at All Saints including feeding at The Salvation Army, tending the Garden, Family Promise where we take care of those without a home for a week at a time, Altar Guild, Readers, Lectors, Acolytes, Chalicers, and many more. Everyone at All Saints is encouraged to serve in some way. Please let us know what you are interested in and we will put you in touch with the ministry coordinator. You can call the office (704-864-7201), email (secretaryallsaintsgastonianc@gmail.com) or speak to Fr. Gary.

 Upcoming Schedule  

 

June 23rd:  Zumba

June 30th:  Last Friday Get Together

July 2nd:  Parish Breakfast

July 18th:  Pacesetters

September 23rd:  Parade of Tables

This Sunday's Scripture Readings

The Collect
O  Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving­ kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The First Lesson:  Genesis 21:8-21

The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac." The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring." So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him." Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17

B ow down your ear, O Lord, and answer me, *
for I am poor and in misery.
2 Keep watch over my life, for I am faithful; *
save your servant who puts his trust in you.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for you are my God; *
I call upon you all the day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, *
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, *
and great is your love toward all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, *
and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the time of my trouble I will call upon you, *
for you will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord, *
nor anything like your works.
9 All nations you have made will come and worship you, O Lord, *
and glorify your Name.
10 For you are great;
you do wondrous things; *
and you alone are God.
16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; *
give your strength to your servant;
and save the child of your handmaid.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; *
because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

The Epistle: 
Romans 6:1b-11
 

Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How
can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The Gospel: Matthew 10:24-39

Jesus said to the twelve disciples, "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

"So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

"Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father, 
and a daughter against her mother, 
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 
and one's foes will be members of one's own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."

Saint Day / Feast of the Week

James Weldon Johnson
Poet, 1938


James Weldon Johnson was born in 1871 in Jacksonville, Florida. His
parents stimulated his academic interests and he was encouraged to
study literature and music. Johnson enrolled at Atlanta University with
the expressed intention that the education he received there would
be used to further the interests of the black people. He never reneged
on that commitment. In the summer after his freshman year, Johnson
taught the children of former slaves. Of that experience he wrote, "In
all of my experience there has been no period so brief that has meant
so much in my education for life as the three months I spent in the
backwoods of Georgia." After graduation, he became the principal of
the largest high school in Jacksonville, during which time he was paid
half of what his white counterparts were paid even though the school
excelled under his leadership.

In 1900, he collaborated with his brother, Rosamond, a composer, to
create "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing." Written in celebration of President
Lincoln's birthday, the song, still popular today, has become known
as the "African American National Anthem." Due to the success of
their collaboration, Johnson moved to New York in 1901 to join his
brother and together they attained success as lyricist and composer for
Broadway.

In 1906, Johnson was invited to work for the diplomatic corps and
became U.S. Consul to Venezuela and later Nicaragua. During his
Nicaraguan tenure, Johnson was a voice of reason and reconciliation
in a time of civil unrest and turmoil. His ability to bring together
people of differing viewpoints toward a common vision served
Johnson well in the 1920's when he became an organizer for the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP).

Johnson was a prolific poet and anthologist. He edited The Book of
American Negro Poetry (1922), a major contribution to the history
of African-American literature. His book of poetry God's Trombones
(1927), seven biblical stories rendered into verse, was influenced by his
impressions of the rural South.

James Weldon Johnson died in 1938.


June 22nd - Theo Sloop
June 24th - Cathy Harvey
June 25th - Vic Cooper
June 27th - Lee Wells
June 27th - Emory Borner
July 2nd - Danielle Witry McMillan
July 2nd - David McDowell
July 4th - Lana Ray
July 4th - Don Stine
July 5th - William Graham
July 6th - Kelly Morris
July 6th - Lee Allison
July 9th - Cheryl Richard
July 11th - Ofejiro Sido
July 15th - Lindsey Wells
July 15th - Amber Forbes
July 16th - Debbie Birk
July 16th - Dorothy DeCristofor
July 16th - Josie Polhemus
July 19th - Judy Mullins
July 23rd - Martha Richard
July 25th - Connor Kish
July 25th - Eileen Klimkowski
July 26th - Bob Tatlock
July 26th - Flo McCarthy
July 30th - Wayne Butler
July 30th - Alice Braddy

Please let the office know if we have missed your birthday!
MINISTRY SCHEDULE  

2017
June 25
July 2
CHALICE/LECTOR
8:00 AM
Kelly Morris
Lee Wells
CHALICE 
10:30 AM
Cheryl Richard
Adam Nygren
Jim & Flo
McCarthy
LECTOR
Kyle Tilly
Adam Nygren
ACOLYTES
Phill Wertz
Sydney Wertz
Lindsey Wells
Cheryl Richard
Lydia Kish
Randy Mullins
GREETER/USHER
8:00 AM
Jerry Wertz
Laurie Stewart
GREETERS/USHERS
10:30 AM
Gay Lindsey
Pete Laine
Sharon & Bob Tatlock
ALTAR GUILD
Terry Eckard
Marc Dudley
BREAD
June
Kelly Halley
July
Jay Oden
ALTAR FLOWERS
Cathy Harvey
Sid Brandon
COFFEE HOUR
Erin Balco
Parish Breakfast
MORNINGSIDE
10:30 AM
Pete Laine
Judy Mullins
C.B. Barr
Morningside Resident
SOUND TECH
John Woodward
Terry Eckard
LAY EUCHARISTIC
VISITORS
Jim & Flo
McCarthy
William & Priscilla Graham
VPOD 8:00
10:30
Linda Klocker
Phill Wertz
Lee Wells
Marc Dudley

Blessings & Peace,
Fr. Gary+

phone: 704-864-7201
e-mail: secretaryallsaintsgastonianc@gmail.com
Fr. Gary's blog: