CONNECT! Monthly Newsletter for July 2021

July 2021

Lucas Ribaudo

2021 WAS Youth Scholarship Recipient

The Women of All Saints is pleased to announce that the WAS Youth Scholarship recipient for this year is Lucas Ribaudo. Lucas is a recent high school graduate and will be starting college in the fall. He wonderfully qualifies for the Scholarship based on his personal contributions, and his participation and service to All Saints Church.

Lucas has been a member of All Saints his whole life. He was baptized here on Pentecost Sunday in 2003 and followed in his siblings’ footsteps through the nursery, Sunday School, Christmas Pageants; singing in the Cantor’s Guild under Peter Crisafulli; and acolyting under David Reeve. He shared in a mission trip to the Pittsburgh Project in 2015 and then two trips to the Dominican Republic in 2018 and 2019. He would have gone in 2020 too, if it was possible.

Lucas played club and travel baseball his whole school career, for the Olney Bucs, the BCC Patriots, and the Rockville Screaming Snails. Of course, he also played for his home school, the Rockville Rams, as a member of the varsity baseball team all 4 years in high school. He was also active in the ski club, the medicine club, and the science honor society.

Lucas is heading to the University of Pittsburgh this fall, where he will study physics and astronomy. He hopes someday to be an astrophysicist. Congratulations, Lucas!

All Saints Preschool -

A Wonderful 2020-21 School Year!

by Lisa Hollingsworth, ASP Director

Despite the many challenges caused by the pandemic, All Saints Preschool had a wonderful, happy, healthy and successful school year, with in-person learning all year! We considered ourselves the pioneers among our surrounding schools as we were the first independent preschool to open our doors once permission was given by the relevant authorities in August of last year.

We are most grateful to the teaching staff of ASP as they bravely came to work each day, while abiding by all of the COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines. ASP experienced a couple of “scares” with positive test results that required quarantining; however, the good news is the symptoms were mild, did not require any medical attention, and – most importantly - there was no in-school transmission.

Of particular note this year: the children of All Saints Preschool were thrilled and elated when the playground construction project for All Saints was completed. They have been enjoying their daily outdoor time ever since. We give profound and special thanks to the Church and Vestry for their help in supporting this much needed upgrade for all the children of All Saints.

We celebrated the end of year Pre-K Graduation Ceremony in-person with caps and gowns, awards, diplomas and the gift of individual Children’s Bible Storybooks signed by Father Ed and presented and blessed by Father Matthew (above.) The other classes had end of year parties hosted by the creative room parents who volunteered throughout the year.

Give thanks to God with us for a successful year!

All Saints Prayer Ministry

A Celebration of God's Work

Did you know? All Saints is surrounded and undergirded by prayer. Learn more from these faithful participants in our parish prayer ministry – from praying for individuals and then sending postcards to encourage them; participating in regular prayer groups such as the Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting or Morning and Evening Prayer on Tuesdays and Thursdays; to our “All Saints Active Prayer” (ASAP) Team, praying for two weeks at a time for particular ministries of the church; to occasional prayer vigils for a particular person or wider need. Through the prayers of his faithful servants, God grows them, our church, and His world!

Prayer Postcards

by Cynthia Bryant

When praying, I find comfort in talking with my Father on the highs and lows of my life and those of others. For me, it is a time of praise and thanksgiving; a time of searching and quietly leaning into God’s love to replenish. I find a special joy in lifting up All Saints parishioners in my prayers through the prayer postcard ministry. Some I know; others I hope to know. More importantly, God loves and knows the hopes and desires of each as I speak their name aloud in prayer. And, in this, I experience the warmth of God’s grace and have faith that those for whom I pray receive the same.

Wednesday Night Prayer Group

by Sandra McFarland

Having witnessed many supernatural answers to prayer, I believe it is the most powerful tool I have to give him thanks and praise and to fulfill my calling to help build the body of Christ in our parish and in the world.

Paul Cauchon has provided faithful and dedicated leadership for our Wednesday night prayer gatherings. Through Paul’s leadership, the Holy Spirit guides us through the important work of praying for our parish, our clergy, and individual needs. Each week Paul compiles a worship format that includes prayers from the Book of Common Prayer (addressing issues of the day) as well as a period of informal, spontaneous prayer in which we share concerns both personal and intercessory. These prayers contribute to shoring up and protecting the Body of Christ at All Saints.

ASAP prayer team

by Earl Foote

I am happy to be a member of the All Saints Active Prayer (ASAP) team. Our mission is to focus on one different ministry "team" at All Saints (such as the clergy, the finance team, etc.) every two weeks. I have been able to focus on individual staff, volunteers, and clergy, in addition to learning how MANY people are involved actively in All Saints. I also have found that, as I pray for various people, the Lord sometimes tells me what actions I myself can take to help the people for whom I'm praying, and to carry out God's will in the world.

Morning and Evening Prayer

by Mary Lee Kingsley

Back in the strange, sullen Spring of 2020 when the world awakened to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of us were lucky enough to be touched by an unforeseen blessing – enabled through the unlikely means of Zoom. I refer to All Saints’ Morning and Evening Prayer, whose small informal gatherings on Tuesday and Thursday mornings are hosted by Father BJ and available via computer or phone. During these past months, the opportunity for shared prayer, worship and fellowship, enabled me to forge special relationships and build spiritual connections. I have received surcease; shared burdens and commiserations; and gained assurances, insights, and some darned good nuggets of practical advice! I have benefitted in other ways, too - through exposure to those further along the spiritual path - in faith, knowledge, and in my exercise of and reliance on the power of Prayer. Let me tell you, there are some true Saints at All Saints Church!

I know I am far from alone in prizing these occasions for comfort and companionship - within the reassuring familiarity of the Daily Offices, yet free of the usual constraint of physical distance. These Prayer gatherings have sustained me throughout this troubled, tumultuous time. They anchor my days, my weeks, my months, and - God willing - my years.

Morning and Evening Prayer; Prayer Vigils

by Jennifer Sirangelo

All Saints Prayer Ministry has accelerated my spiritual growth in ways I couldn’t have imagined before the COVID-19 shutdown. My typical-fast paced life of work, travel, and family caregiving had previously kept me from consistently having a regular “quiet time.” When I did try, I had trouble focusing because my mind always wandered to my to-do list. Fortunately for my soul, at the same moment that my life came to a halt in March 2020, All Saints offered virtual small group prayer opportunities that helped me stay focused and consistent in prayer even on days we didn’t meet. The morning and evening Daily Office gives me structured, committed time on my calendar to focus on prayer and worship in a small group setting. There were so many needs to be lifted up during the pandemic, and I felt so helpless - it gave me great joy to be able to tell my friends, family, and co-workers that we prayed for them. I built new spiritual muscles that I’m still using.

But what really shocked me was the effectiveness of the prayer vigils. I had never done one before last year and I thought I would NEVER be able to pray for an hour straight without getting distracted. But … I figured if I was ever going to try, now would be the time. So I told the Lord I would try, and would really need his help. The multi-page guide’s readings, prayers and songs really helped me focus; to my amazement - the hour passed in no time! I loved it so much that I continued to do the vigils and I even helped write the guide for our December prayer vigil for God’s provision for All Saints. Best of all - God answered our prayers by inspiring parishioners to give more than enough to meet the church’s needs at the end of 2020.

As Jennifer says …

"If you’ve ever wished you could figure out how to build prayer time into your busy lifestyle, you might want to consider trying out one of our All Saints prayer ministry offerings. The best part is that everyone is so supportive - I feel like I’m wrapped in a big hug. It’s made a meaningful difference for me to feel my spiritual life as alive and moving forward in new ways."

Contact Father BJ Buracker for more information.

Kingdom Moments

The Thrift Shop Reopens

We are thrilled that the Thrift Shop was able to again open its doors last month, following a more than year-long closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The thrift shop’s mission is to share Christ's love with all persons who enter the shop. In the first 3 weeks since reopening, the Thrift Shop has generated more than $2,000! All proceeds raised by the Thrift Shop are used by the Women of All Saints to support local missions.

For several months, a core group of Women of All Saints volunteers worked diligently, adorning the shop with its summer inventory. We graciously thank Karen Tomasian, Bonnie Barnes, Kitty Champlain, Nanci Link, Pat Peyser, Debbie Cox, and our lovely seamstress, Edna Wellborn.

Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact Thrift Shop Manager Karen Tomasian or Debbie Cox, President of the Women of All Saints.

Did you miss the June issue of Connect!? We celebrated the many different ways God's love is in action in and through All Saints!

Previous issues of the Connect! - celebrating God's faithfulness to us and work among us - are available on the church website HERE.

Please join us in continuing to celebrate the good news of God working in our midst - ideas for the Connect newsletter are always welcome! You may submit possible topics, photos, or short (1 - 3 paragraph) articles to Communications Manager Teri Ballou.

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please call (301) 654-2488 or email info@allsaintschurch.net. All inquiries confidential.

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