Every Week Day:  Morning Prayer at 8 AM

Thursday, March 29th:  Maundy Thursday at 7:00 PM

Friday, March 30th:  Good Friday Services at 12:00 Noon & 7:00 PM
                             (7PM Service followed by Stations of the Cross)
Saturday, March 31:  Easter Vigil at 8:15 PM (Followed by a champagne and

                              chocolate reception in the Family Life Center)
Sunday, April 1:  Easter Day Services at 8:00 AM & 10:30 AM

*Don't forget to bring bells to the Easter Vigil Service, and

bells and flowers to the Easter Day Services.

ANNOUNCEMENTS  

*  Youth Bowling:  Sunday March 18th,  2-4 pm at Textile Lanes, Belmont. Note:  All children of any age and their families are invited!!! Fee for each person is $9.50 per person for two games and shoes.  The Church will pay for all youth but family members need to pay for themselves. You MUST sign up by  March 15, which is the deadline that I have to give them our final numbers. The more we have, the less the price. If you have already touched base with me, then I have you down.  Any questions or to register, please email me at  christina.s.butterworth@gmail.com.

*  Parish Lunch:  This Sunday the luncheon will be a St. Patrick's Day Party.  The menu will be Reuben sandwiches.  If you have special needs such as no cheese or anything else, you need to let us know ahead of time as we will prepare during the  10:30 service. If you attend, please consider making a $5 donation per person to offset the costs of this wonderful meal.  Hope that many of you will plan to attend.    [email protected]

*  Garden/Salad Fund:  The garden fund is in good shape right now and many thanks to those who have donated.  Right now we have around $600 which should last us for a

while. 

*  Pacesetters:  Our next outing is Tuesday March 20th with a trip to the Alphabet and Mexican Museums at JAARS in Waxhaw.  We will leave by cars at  8:45 in order to start our tour at  10:00.  We will have lunch at a local restaurant.  Please let Jerry Wertz know if you plan to attend.   [email protected]

*  Church Yard Sale:  We will have a church yard sale on Saturday May 5th.  Begin to save things for the sale, but if you feel you want to get rid of it sooner I can store some things in my garage.  Jerry Wertz 704-577-9699

*  Adult Christian Formation: A study on The Lives of Great Christians. Our guide is Professor William Cook. Some of those we will journey with are St. Antony, the First Monk; Francis of Assisi; Augustine; and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Please join us  on Sunday mornings at  9:30 in The Life Center.

*  Sunday Breakfast:  Thanks to all who contributed to the breakfast.  We raised $140 with expenses of $24.44 netting us $115.56.  Special thanks to the helpers - Linda Boyd, Charlie Jenkins, Tony Fugate, Marsha Ellison & Jim McCarthy.

*  Book Exchange:  If you like to read, we have set up boxes of books under the table in the large room in the Family Life Center.  Take what you want and return when finished.  We will sell books at the yard sale on May 5th.  

*  Pastoral Caregivers: The Pastoral Care Committee is reorganizing. We are looking for parish volunteers to walk, communicate and visit with our parishioners who are homebound, struggling, lonely or sick. This ministry is key to ensuring those who are in need receive care and knowing that their church family loves them. Our desire is to have enough people on our team that no one has more than two people. No special skills are required; just a desire to love their neighbor. If you are interested please contact Deacon Martha, Deacon Cris or Father Gary.

*  Bishop's Visitation: Our bishop, The Rt. Rev. José McLoughlin, will make his parochial visit on Sunday, September 16, 2018 (Please note the date change. The Bishop had to change his visitation date due to a calendar conflict). A bishop's visit is time for celebration as well as Baptism, Confirmation, Reception and Reaffirmation. For new members this is a time for being received or confirmed into your new faith community. Fr. Gary will offer a course, Episcopal 101, to assist anyone interested in better understanding our tradition.

*  Cooking for the Army : On Saturday, April 7th , parishioners will gather at  9AM  to cook approximately 700 meals for The Salvation Army & Cornerstone Ministry. We are always in need of more hands to assist in this life-giving project since "more hands make light work." If you are interested in this ministry, please contact the church office and we will put your name on the monthly e-mail reminder.  Upcoming date:  Sunday, May 6th.  

*  Building Use Policy:  Our buildings are being used more and more and scheduling conflicts have occurred.  Effective immediately, all rooms/buildings will be reserved and scheduled by the Parish Administrator through the submission of a form which are available at the office.  Additionally, if you are in need of advance set-up for the room or event you are scheduling (night before, earlier than the event, etc.) please take that into consideration when reserving. We appreciate your understanding realizing that this will improve our ability to serve our parishioners and ministries.

*  Save the date: All Saints Outreach will host a "Summer Blast Picnic" fundraiser on Saturday, June 2nd from 5-8. Please put it on your calendar and plan to attend. More details will follow!

*  Save the date:  Parade of Tables on Saturday, September 22nd.  

*  Annual Giving : If you have not returned your pledge sheets we encourage you to do so. We appreciate your gifts in our corner of God's Kingdom.

*  2018 Sign Up Sheets:  For Coffee Hour, Altar Guild and Altar Flowers are on the bulletin board in the FLC.   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).

* Cookbooks :   $5.00   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. 

*  Family Promise:  The remaining 2018 dates that we will be host to the Family Promise guests are 4/8, 8/12 and 11/4. 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  [email protected] .

* 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. 

     - Tuesday & Thursday at 7:15PM:  Please join Dana Wolfe for a fun workout made for everyone.  The class that started the dance-fitness revolution and changed the way we look at a "workout" forever. It's fun, effective and best of all? Made for everyone!  ($5/class or $20/month)

for Coffee Hour on Parish Breakfast Sunday.  You do not have to provide any food, just set out the food left from breakfast.  Please sign up for this on the Coffee Hour sign-up sheet.

* Choir Rehearsal:  Sunday mornings  at 9:25 am. 

*  Food Pantry:  Please help us restock the shelves!  Through your generosity, we have been able to help many families and individuals. 

*  Preaching ROTA (rotation) at All Saints: We are blessed at All Saints to hear three different voices in preaching. Each one of our clergy; Gary, Cris and Martha, have experienced the world and see the world differently and through different lenses.  Because our community is made up of different people from different experiences we need to hear different voices. At All Saints, Deacon Cris preaches on the 3rd  Sunday of each month, Deacon Martha preaches on the 1st  Sunday of alternate months, and Fr. Gary preaches the other Sundays. We hope you find the different voices fulfilling in your spiritual journey.

*  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.

The First Lesson: Jeremiah 31:31-34

Patrick was born into a Christian family somewhere on the northwest
coast of Britain in about 390. His grandfather had been a Christian
priest and his father, Calpornius, a deacon. Calpornius was an
important official in the late Roman imperial government of Britain.
It was not unusual in this post-Constantinian period for such state
officials to be in holy orders. When Patrick was about sixteen, he was
captured by a band of Irish slave-raiders. He was carried off to Ireland
and forced to serve as a shepherd. When he was about twenty-one, he
escaped and returned to Britain, where he was educated as a Christian.
He tells us that he took holy orders as both presbyter and bishop,
although no particular see is known as his at this time. A vision then
called him to return to Ireland. This he did about the year 431.

Tradition holds that Patrick landed not far from the place of his earlier
captivity, near what is now known as Downpatrick (a "down" or
"dun" is a fortified hill, the stronghold of a local Irish king). He then
began a remarkable process of missionary conversion throughout
the country that continued until his death, probably in 461. He
made his appeal to the local kings and through them to their tribes.
Christianizing the old pagan religion as he went, Patrick erected
Christian churches over sites already regarded as sacred, had crosses
carved on old druidic pillars, and put sacred wells and springs under
the protection of Christian saints.

Many legends of Patrick's Irish missionary travels possess substrata of
truth, especially those telling of his conversion of the three major Irish
High Kings. At Armagh, he is said to have established his principal
church. To this day, Armagh is regarded as the primatial see of all
Ireland.

Two works are attributed to Patrick: an autobiographical Confession,
in which he tells us, among other things, that he was criticized by
his contemporaries for lack of learning, and a Letter to Coroticus, a
British chieftain. The Lorica or St. Patrick's Breastplate ("I bind unto
myself today") is probably not his, but it expresses his faith and zeal.