There was nothing I loved more as a child than a picture book. My five year old favorite featured antics of a rough and tumble little boy named Gregory. Gregory’s saving grace was his gentle grandmother, who had a reputation for serving up the best griddle cakes in the county. Her scrumptious feasts relied on eggs laid by the colorful hens Gregory’s granny kept on her farm. And, boy, if those laying beauties weren’t the brightest you’ve ever seen! Speckled and freckled, the chickens shone with vibrant carmine, amber, and (yes, even) cobalt. I loved the book right into disrepair, I read it so much!
A few years ago, I discovered another illustrated book about a boy who loved chickens, and not merely for what they yield. Jabari Asim’s
Preaching to the Chickens
tells the story of a young John Lewis, born into a share cropping family in Alabama. Lewis tended the family chickens on their farm, protecting them from every day dangers, including being traded away as somebody’s Sunday supper. Fervent and precocious, John preached his little heart out to those faithful fowl, bearing witness to God’s liberating Good News, as he later would do before throngs of Americans. In the recently-released documentary, “
John Lewis: Good Trouble
,"
the Congressman’s eyes twinkle as he tell jokes about his childhood on the family farm, especially about his chicken audience, whose bobbing heads and lively clucks were as close as he ever got to an “Amen!”
The fierce beauty of Lewis’ legacy—a civil rights legend whose non-violent, long-suffering labors of love and courage bent the arc of American history toward justice— evokes awe and gratitude in me. That such a lion-hearted hero was Georgia’s own representative in the Congress is humbling! Some of you have shared memories from your own graced encounters with Congressman Lewis, noting his characteristic humility, generosity, and kindness. Whether he was marching across bridges, staging sit-ins within halls of power, or
dancing through the moments in between
, testifying to God’s power to turn tears to joy, John Lewis beamed with God’s fearless love. As we give thanks for the gift of the Congressman’s faithful life of service, I pray we recommit ourselves to Jesus’ liberating mission, daring to take up the prophetic mantle Mr. Lewis laid down when he went home to glory, to receive his eternal reward.
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May we be people of such faith and courage that our lives preach like his,
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The Rev. Sarah Stewart
Associate Rector for Young Adults
and Inn
ovation
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Saintly Summer Send-Off for Emma and Simeon at 7:00 p.m.
Emma Siegfried and Simeon Bruce, two long-time members of our All Saints’ Young Adult community, will be leaving Atlanta later this month, to commence graduate studies in California and Tennessee, respectively. Seeing them off on new adventures will be a bittersweet privilege for those of us who have come to know God’s loving light that shines in their lives. And so it seems only right to gather (virtually) to bid them farewell and good luck, as they step into a new season of adulthood, with God's help.
I invite you to share memories, prayers, and blessings with Emma and Sim via Zoom tonight (Thursday, July 23), during a special Saintly Summer Send-Off that starts at 7:00 p.m. and concludes with our customary weekly Compline prayers at 8:00 p.m. Click
here
to join the Zoom meeting.
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From Emma:
Hi y'all,
I believe that most of you know at this point, but I'm going to be moving to Long Beach, California at the beginning of August to start my Master's Degree at California State University - Long Beach. I have to say that I'm incredibly excited about this opportunity, and it is literally a dream opportunity for me. Also, I just wanted to say that I'm still planning on being around. Since we're in COVID-19 times, finding a new church will be extremely difficult, so I'm just going to keep hanging out with y'all for a while.
But I also wanted to take a little bit of time to thank all of you for being such a great community to be a part of. The past couple of years at All Saints have been truly so much fun. I really have felt more at home at All Saints since becoming closer to all of the other young adults here. Growing up in a nearby Episcopal Church, it wasn't until this community became a bigger part of my life that I felt as if the church itself treated me as Emma, rather than my parent's kid. It's been a fantastic couple of years and I'm truly really sad to be leaving. Thank you for being a group of people who I can talk to about anything and who also push me to be better every single day. Thank you for being there if I needed it, and for generally just being people who I was and am excited to see on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings. Words can't express how much I've grown because of all of you and really how truly thankful I am.
With that - if any of you want to contact me personally, my email address is
siegfried.emma@gmail.com
, and if you ever find yourself in the LA/Long Beach area, there's always a couch for you to crash on.
Much Love always,
Emma
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From Sim:
I just want to let y'all know how grateful I am to be part of our young adult community here at All Saints'.
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Deliver Backpacks and Care Packages to Former Refugee Children in Clarkston
The All Saints' Refugee Ministries program invites volunteers to help deliver backpacks and back-to-school care packages to former refugee children in Clarkston on
July 26 and 27
.
Click here
to sign up. The time you sign up for is the time you can come pick up the items from All Saints'; you will not have to get out of your car.
After you sign up, you will receive an email with detailed instructions, including a video made by Sue McConnell, nurse practitioner and long time Refugee Ministries volunteer, about how to practice safe social distance while making the deliveries.
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Our
M
ission
I
s
C
onversation
A
nd
H
ealing about race in our lives, in the church, and in our country. Open to everyone in the parish, The MICAH Project offers educational programs that stimulate dialogue; sponsors training in recognizing and dismantling racism; and organizes small-group conversations about race.
In fulfillment of Micah 6:8, we nurture racial healing as a part of our spiritual formation, seeking as a church community to act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
Here's is information about the next event on Sunday, July 26:
Lillian Smith, a white southerner, was shunned and threatened most of her life (1897-1966) for speaking out against white supremacy and its toxic effects on individuals and society. From July 20-28, All Saints’ parishioners will have the opportunity to access to the documentary about her life, “
Lillian Smith: Breaking the Silence
,” at home.
Then, on Sunday, July 26 at 11:00 a.m., The MICAH Project will lead a discussion Smith's life and legacy during a Zoom Q&A with the filmmaker, Hal Jacobs, and actor Brenda Bynum, who created a one-woman play on Smith’s life.
Please
click here
to sign up for the discussion by July 25 and Ann Stuart Pearce will send you the Zoom meeting link and password.
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Upcoming Events in July and August
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Jesus as a Radical Revolutionary
Monthly Young Adult Formation Series
Begins on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 p.m.
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Join Young Adults for a lively discussion on racial and social justice, leveraging Ibram X. Kendi's book,
How to be An Antiracist
. Excerpts to springboard our conversation will be available for those who may not have the book. Kendi's text will kick off our Young Adult fall formation series, held every first-Thursday-of-the-month, exploring topics of revolution, dissent, disruption, and change in society and the church.
These discussions will begin at 7:00 p.m. and be followed by Compline prayers at 8:00 p.m. Click
here
to sign up and Justin Averette will send you the Zoom meeting link and password.
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Saints UnTapped Virtual Happy Hour
Returns on Thursday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m.
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Join us next month (August) when we resume our monthly Saints UnTapped gathering for an inaugural “Saints Take On Atlanta” Trivia Challenge, complete with puzzles and prizes to local culinary (not viral) hot spots.
Download the free App “Kahoot” now and mark your calendars for Thursday, August 20. Whether you come for the fellowship and fun or find yourself gunning for the coveted gift cards to local eateries, we look forward to playing with you! Click
here
to sign up and Michael Asmussen will send you the Zoom meeting link and password.
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Compline
Virtual Evening Prayer
Every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.
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Please join us for our weekly peer-led prayer group, as we lift up the needs of our world and all whom we love.
All are welcome! We appreciate your cooperation in fostering "safe church" on the inter-webs and look forward to seeing you in the "Zoom Room" each Thursday. Many thanks to Justin Averette for leading this group over the summer. Click
here
to sign up and Justin will send you the Zoom meeting link and password.
P.S. This week we're doing our Saintly Summer Sendoff for Emma and Sim at 7:00 p.m. (before Compline)!
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Resources for Personal Prayer in Daily Life
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CONNECT WITH PRAYING PEERS via Young Adults @ All Saints' Slack Channel: youngadultsallsaints.slack.com #prayers
Compline by Candlelight from Trinity Wall Street:
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For more information contact The Rev. Sarah Stewart
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