ALL ANGELS BY THE SEA
WEEKLY TIDINGS
November 11, 2021
SUNDAY SERVICES
8:00 and 10:00 am
To live-stream - go to AllAngelsLBK.org, click on the "All Angels Enter Here" picture and you will be routed to our YouTube channel.
Zoom - go to https://zoom.us/j/5955701807 and watch and listen live. Be sure to stick around after the service for our coffee hour chat-with-your-neighbor time.

The 10am service will begin with the lighting of the altar candles. If you are participating at home, you are invited to light a candle with us to create a sacred space of worship at home.

The bulletin can be found on the All Angels Website: 
or at the following link: Bulletin for Sunday, November 14
This Sunday, Marge Stapleton is hosting the Coffee Hour
to celebrate her birthday as well as BJ Bishop's, Cathie Wilt's,
and Christi Marshall's birthday too. 
Bishop Smith has decided that masks once again should be worn by all individuals for all indoor gatherings.
Altar Flowers for Sunday, November 14
are given by Dave Bishop in honor of BJ's birthday today and in memory of their precious loved ones who have passed.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Last Sunday's Service
PRAYERS
Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer invites you to pray with them, every day, at 8 am, wherever you are. When you enter into prayer at 8 am (Eastern), you will know that others are praying at the same time. 
We Pray for our People
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially Downs IV, Holden, Brian and Stan. Grant healing and recovery for Debi, Carling, Beverly and Bill. Give peace and strength for those going through cancer treatments, especially Jane, Downs III, Victoria, Andres, Alex, Colleen, and Douglas. Visit and comfort all who are under the care of skilled nursing, especially Timothy and Barbara. Be near to all who are in hospice care especially John.
PARISH ACTIVITIES
Coffee Hour Hosts Needed
One of the most important things we do is gather after the service for coffee hour. If you are interested in hosting, the sign up sheet is on the Gallery table. If you would like help, sign up and we will find someone to show you how it is done. 
Choir Rehearsals, Hand Bell Rehearsals
and Music in the Park
Please note the changes for Thursday morning Music rehearsals and Music in the Park, beginning December 2nd.
        10 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
        11 a.m.  Hand Bell Choir Rehearsal for Christmas Eve
        12:30   Music in the Park 
New members are needed in each choir. 
Contact Dale for more information: 941 896 5541, or dhooey@verizon.net. This schedule will change after the new year begins.  
There will be no choir rehearsals or Music in the Park until December 2.
Art Gallery
New to YOU Art Sale 2022 Update:
We are now accepting art that is no longer being used for our BIG event in February 2022. Please drop off your art to the church office starting now. Accepting: Framed Art, Statues, Fiber, Clay, Pottery, Mixed Media.
Have a friend who has unwanted art? Please donate it to our sale.
Let's make this a Great Event!
Not sure if we will accept it? Call Linn at 941-383-8161
 
Our Artist for November is Pamela Olin.
Please stop by and enjoy the work of this talented artist. Checks should be written to All Angels by the Sea.
Discussion Groups 
What is your family history? How much of it do you know? 
The attached piece from the NY Times raises that question to the whole human family. New work has been done to retrace humanity's steps through history and it is showing a rather peaceful picture for millennia. So what in the world happened? And, can anything save us from ourselves? 
If you are looking for something with hope, and only want to read one page, go right to the last page. I'm wondering if you agree with the authors' findings? 
Men's discussion on Tuesday at 10 am and the Women's discussion on Thursday at 10 am; both in person and on-line. I'll have the coffee ready.


Online Giving
If you would like to give to the offering plate electronically, you can find the online giving link on our All Angels website by clicking the link below:
REFLECTION
Rose Window
 
Stained glass windows have an interesting, and contested, history. One such origin story is reported to have come from Pliny the Elder
(23 – 79) who, although credited for creating the encyclopedia, is known to have uneven historical accuracy in his personal accounts. Nevertheless, his account of stained glass is that Phoenician sailors discovered it by accident when, after a shipwreck, they placed cooking pots on blocks of soda from the cargo and lit fires underneath on the beach. In the morning, the soda had cooled and hardened into colored glass.
 
It would make sense that All Angels by the Sea would have a stained-glass window made from sand. What doesn’t make sense to many is what in the world the window means. I have a historical account from Fr. Ben Barnes, which was later edited and clarified by Fr. David Danner. In other words, it is a historical account under construction. Here is what both faithful Reverends believe.
 
The window needs to be considered in context with the rest of the church building. Starting with the Angel Fountain Courtyard which symbolizes baptism – the entrance to life with Christ – we enter into the narthex in which we see etched glass that has images of the natural wildlife found on Longboat Key. Entering into the nave (the place where the rows of seats are), our eyes are drawn toward the altar which is one of the symbols of Christ’s presence among the people and the center of the Church. (The follower of Christ has been called an altar for the world in which others see the work of God in the ordinariness of life) Above the altar is the suspended cross and as our eyes travel further up, we see the rose window.
 
Looking up from the altar, past the cross, the main image of the window is the resurrected Christ in his glory, arms outstretched to welcome and spread the love of God to all. Christ is surrounded by the choirs of angels represented by the nine stars. On either side of him are adoring angels. Above his head is the westward setting sun, emblematic of the coming Kingdom of God; but, also taken from the shield of the Diocese of SW Florida. Descending out from our Lord’s arms are showers of grace symbolized as falling dew-drops of God’s love and forgiveness. Moving to the lower corners of the window, to the viewers left, we see the emblem of the pelican feeding her young. The pelican is an ancient symbol of the Eucharist and it is also a symbol taken from the Church of the Redeemer, the mother church of All Angels. On the viewers lower right, there are waves of our nearby Gulf of Mexico. If one were to look closely, one will see small sandpipers scurrying along the beach; a favorite symbol of our church. Lastly, the swirling colors of the entire window remind us of the glory of God’s diversity of humanity and entire creation.
 
A few more notes for symbolism: blue is the color of Advent – the arrival of Christ – the season that leads us to the joyous celebration of Jesus’ birth. Advent is also representative of our shared yearning for the return of Christ. It’s also the primary color for St. Mary, Jesus’ mother, and the primary color for All Angels. Why nine stars? There are nine ranks or orders of angels. Stars and angels are more or less synonymous in the Bible.
 
For glass art that reportedly started by shipwrecked sailors, it makes sense that our rose window faces towards the beach and the gulf. Somehow each one of us found our way to the white sandy shores of Longboat – either by whim or design, either in-person or on-line – where are all welcomed by the open, outstretched arms of our Savior who is spreading his love and grace to all. 

-Rev. Dave