15th Sunday After Pentecost - Sept. 13, 2020 |
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It probably doesn’t surprise you that I’ve never trained nor participated in a marathon, but ministry is a marathon of sorts. I’d have to double check with some of you marathoners out there, but I imagine when you are training--as my swimmer girl does for her meets--it’s not like you can compartmentalize your life into what you do during practice and what you do off the clock. Everything is interconnected, interrelated. How much rest we get affects our efforts during the day. What we put into our body affects the quality of our energy. How we use our bodies can strengthen and build or burnout and exhaust.
How we prepare for the short-term is different from how we prepare for the long haul.
Lives of faithful disciples are meant for endurance . . . “run with endurance the race,” right? (Hebrews 12:1) The race is whatever is set before us, be it a sprint or a marathon, and we’re meant to endure and persevere. (Some translations say “perseverance” instead of “endurance.”) Hopefully our practices and habits support such endurance because the race before us is full of hurdles, be they of joy or sorrow. Hopefully we take good care of ourselves so we’re ready for what’s around the corner, and if we’re practicing the Way of Love, we’re probably as prepared as we can be.
But if you’re like me, you’re far from perfect, easily distracted, and ever the optimist regarding what one person is capable of. Fortunately, the Church’s sure foundation is Jesus Christ--not you or me. Upon Him we continue to build the Church. We have an individual commitment, but we also do so much work together.
My section here is a bit longer this week because there is much we have to share, and I hope that you will read the topics contained in this newsletter to know what’s coming up in our life together. I hope that what we do here at All Saints’ is of value to you and that you show it in your support, be it in time, talent, and/or treasure. Here are four suggestions for how you can get some spiritual exercise AND contribute to our vitality and endurance at All Saints’:
- Volunteer to be one of 5 teams of 4 people each to serve as ushers/cleaners for Sunday service. Contact me to let me know you’re interested!
- Continue/catch up on your pledge--online or by mail. Send a contribution even if you haven’t pledged! Our work hasn’t stopped because of the pandemic.
- Live into our mission of sharing the love of God for all by sharing with others what you love and value about your relationship with God and with All Saints’.
- If you are concerned, frustrated, or have questions about something, talk to me or to a Vestry member.
The most successful athletes I’m aware of have a team of others working with them and supporting them. The healthiest churches I know also have congregations with a similar work ethic. We’re in it for the long haul. We know this, and we can do this . . . together.
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From Fellow Saints - Susan, Joe & Chris Delacruz |
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Greetings from the Delacruz Family to everyone at All Saints’.
We hope that everyone is doing OK during this unusual time in our lives. I’m sure most of us can’t wait till things get back to normal. We are keeping busy with catching up on projects that we have put off. We also are enjoying the out-of-doors by taking care of the garden and keeping everything watered when there isn’t enough rain.
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Instead of going to the gym, we are walking on the many paved trails in the area. Our favorite one is Coler Creek off of Third Street in Bentonville. It’s not far from the church. Joe and I bought recumbent trikes and along with my sister and Chris we go biking most every morning. The mornings we don’t bike, we take our dog, Josie, for walks. We really are fortunate to have these wonderful trails and parks in our community.
We are getting used to “attending” church on our computers and also using the same technology to have our meetings and book club events online.
Many restaurants are opening and we have been taking advantage of the curbside carryouts and frequenting the ones who have outdoor dining.
We have had to miss our entertainment and concerts this summer but have been watching a lot of programs that we have recorded on our DVR. There have been celebrations of baby showers, weddings and vacation trips that we have had to forego during this pandemic. But we want to wait until it is safe to travel and hope that a safe vaccine is developed soon.
The three of us and Josie will be taking the RV to the Buffalo River for an overnight camping/hiking trip this weekend. So we will miss the first Sunday that the church is having the service inside the remodeled sanctuary. I have seen the amazing work that has transpired at our church during our absence. It is looking so good. Can’t wait until we are all back home at All Saints’ Episcopal Church. Stay safe, stay well.
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This Sunday, 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 13th):
11am: In person in the remodeled sanctuary/Facebook Live on our All Saints’ Facebook page
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Video will be uploaded to our YouTube channel as soon as it is completed (follow the channel to get notification)
September 13th bulletin HERE.
Services:
In English:
8am - Morning Prayer, Rt. II - Monday-Friday
5pm - Evening Prayer, Rt. II - Saturday
11am - Holy Eucharist - Sunday (Facebook Live/Zoom); available on YouTube later
En Español:
12pm - Oficio para el Mediodía - martes a viernes
9pm - Oficio de Completas - lunes a viernes
1pm - Santa Eucaristía - Domingo
*Spanish-speaking services will be shared on the All Saints’ page as they are available, including the 1pm Sunday service.
If you do not have The Book of Common Prayer at home for the Daily Office, you may arrange to pick one up from the church or access it online: https://www.bcponline.org/.
You can access a guide to the Daily Offices (of which Morning and Evening Prayer are included), HERE.
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Adult Christian Education |
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From the comfort of your home, join us at 9:30 with your coffee, ready for our video lecture, followed by discussion. Here’s the Zoom link. This Sunday the featured New Testament character is “The Centurians.”
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Last month we received $8,947 of Pledge and Non-Pledge Income. Our expenses for the month were $15,205. That resulted in a loss of $6,254 for the month. That brings our total deficit for the year through August to $20,180. So far this month we have had $1,811 of Pledge and Non-Pledge Income. We typically require $14,825 per month in contributions to cover our fixed monthly operating expenses. Obviously, we continue to feel the stress from the shutdown.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that we keep our pledges and donations as current as possible to help us get through this difficult period. Contributions can be made either by check or on-line contribution. Our expenses don’t slow down to any great extent as a result of the shut-down and will continue at approximately $14,825 per month. I will continue to include information on how to contribute.
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Building Update - Transformation |
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Remember this? Welcome to the new All Saints/Todos los Santos! |
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The total scope of our renovation included:
- Construction of new walls
- New Sacristy with running water
- New altar rail
- Installation of “wood look” tile on the floor of the nave
- Installation of marble like tile on the floor of the altar areas
- Painting new walls with projector paint to eliminate projection screens
- Updating and wiring of new audio-visual equipment (microphones and projectors)
- Construction of Marian altar
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The final touches to the Marian altar are being done by a craftsman in Texas and will be installed here shortly.
We have spent $51,77.65 on this transformation and expect a few more invoices. The final projected cost is expected to be approximately $57,000.00. We will share a final accounting with you once all the bills are in.
Carlos Morales and I were the Project Managers on this effort. We want to thank the Carpenters , Plumbers, Electricians, Flooring Installers, Acoustical Specialists and other craftsmen who made this transformation possible. Thanks be to God! - Deborah Linville, Jr. Warden
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Expressing Creativity at All Saints':
Mural on West Side
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“I sing a song of the saints of God, patient and brave and true, who toiled and fought and lived and died for the Lord, they loved and knew. And one was a doctor, and one was a priest, and one was a shepherdess on the green…”
When Mother Sara first mentioned her vision of a mural depicting church ancestors painted on the west end of the parish hall, Debby and I were immediately on board to underwrite the project. Last January, while visiting in Palm Springs, we were drawn to just such a mural adorning the side of St. Paul in the Desert Episcopal Church. Similar to theirs, our mural reflects our belief that there are saints to be found in everyday members of our community. Saints one might encounter on a trail, the farmers’ market, Crystal Bridges, the Bentonville Square or in these days of pandemic, in a healthcare setting. It speaks to the importance of living into the responsibility of residing in the “Natural State,” as we care for the abounding natural resources we are so privileged to enjoy. A gentle reminder of all we are called to be.
A few notes about the artist, Alexander Milford. A freshman studying art at Belmont College, tall, handsome, and demure, Alexander spent days successfully translating to all passersby that All Saints’/Todos Los Santos is a warm and welcoming place full of life and promise. He transferred his original concept to the side of the building freehand with chalk and then painted the entire mural using a variety of tools ranging from a regular roller to a half inch brush. His finished work speaks of our promise of unconditional acceptance. No need for perfection, just a little curiosity of what can happen when one or more are gathered in His name.
“…they were all of them saints of God and I mean, God helping, to be one too.”
Hymn 293
Scott & Hopkins
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We try to keep disposable masks available at the entry, not only just in case our priests forget theirs (!!!) but also for guests in our building. If you would like to donate a box of disposable masks, that would be greatly appreciated. If you have reusable masks you would like to share, please feel free to bring them to the church, and they can be distributed as well to those who need them. We certainly don’t want vulnerable populations being penalized for not having a mask! Many thanks to those who have provided masks!
- Other needs as we prepare to meet in person:
- Lysol
- Disinfectant wipes
- Refill containers of gel hand sanitizer
- Vinyl gloves
- Air filters (24x24x1)
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Baptized for Life/Vida en Abundancia (BfL/VeA) |
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The Baptized for Life/Vida en Abundancia team seeks your input! Part of the congregational grant received was for the construction of an outdoor pavilion, which would be especially helpful for outdoor worship! We need your ideas, hopes, and visions! We plan to form small group sessions outdoors in the church lawn to collect ideas. If you want to participate, please contact MaryBeth Miller (mbmiller2014 (at) gmail.com) or Araceli Castillo (herreracheli (at) yahoo.com). The pavilion pictured above is to stir your imagination; many thanks to Carlos and Margarita Morales for sharing!
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Spiritual Practice: "Respect the Dignity of Every Human" |
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Need some ideas for contemplation and/or action? These are suggestions for you to do at home to stay connected to our religious tradition and nurture your spirituality.
What might our world look like if everyone respected the dignity of every person? What about if we extended that to all of Creation? If we can imagine it ourselves, we are much more likely to find actionable things to help bring about the reality of our vision. Respect does not mean that we pity another or that we feel sorry others. Respecting dignity means that we see others as beloved children of God, valuable in their own right, worthy, heirs of the kingdom. How might we show that we respect the dignity of others?
- Listen without judgment
- Keep our commitments
- Make eye contact with a stranger, maybe even adding a smile
- Vote for policies that uphold quality of life for all
- Donate food equal to what we would put on our own tables; donate clothes we would want to wear
- Continue to increase awareness of personal prejudices, internal biases to break down barriers that further the “us/them” narrative
What else do YOU do to show respect for others? How have you empowered someone by sharing with them that they are a beloved child of God, deserving of unconditional love, grace, and mercy?
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"Love Thy Neighbor" Virtual Event |
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This year’s Love Thy Neighbor service —a peace gathering featuring music, prayers, and speakers from several world religions—will be take place virtually on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m., on the Interfaith Center YouTube channel. This event is co-sponsored by The Interfaith Center and Arkansas House of Prayer, ministries of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Arkansas.
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Visit the SignUp Genius page to let us know when you would like to contribute the altar flowers for a Sunday service! Or email Brenda Zedlitz. This is a beautiful way to show your gratitude and/or honor the memory of a loved one. The altar flowers also make a lovely delivery to someone at home, so your generosity goes beyond Sunday’s service!
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All Saints' Directory - Photos Welcome! |
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Creation Care - September 10th |
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My husband, Mark, spent 43 years in the fire service, most of which was spent in Colorado and Oregon. Fall was the season of forest and brush fires, many of which destroyed everything in their path. Some fires are sparked by lightning. I have read that the heat opens pinecones in old forests, causing them to create new growth while the fire clears away diseased and dying trees and shrubs. Some fires (controlled burns) are intentionally started by to clear undergrowth and (hopefully) prevent the devastation caused by larger fires. Sometimes too, good intentions go awry, If I remember correctly, the Yellowstone fire that nearly destroyed one of our most beautiful national parks was the result of a controlled burn that quickly spun got of control.
To be honest, We the People are responsible for most fires. The desire for mountain living, carelessly squelched campfires, arson and climate change are just a few of our sins against Mother Nature. Not long ago an entire foothills community in Boulder’s Sunshine Canyon was lost when a homeowner neglected to fully extinguish a controlled burn on his property. As I watched the news this week, my heart just sunk for the animals (wild and domestic) that were trapped as people fled for their lives. Homes, barns, businesses and beautiful old growth forests were once again turned to ash.
As we continue to journey through this Season of Creation, I hope you will pray for healing of the humans and animals left homeless by the western fires, and discernment when it comes time to rebuild.
Prayer
Most gracious God, we come before you to pray for the wellbeing of Creation, and for your mercy for all who have and will face the devastation of fire season. You alone know the full extent of the destruction we have wrought to your beautiful handiwork, and what needs to be done to remedy it. We pray for the people around the globe who suffer because of environmental damage. We pray for the defenseless creatures harmed or made extinct by our selfishness and ignorance. We pray for the oceans, air, mountains, plants, and soil, that life and health may again pulse in them. We pray that we humans have a change of heart and stop harming the planet. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us that we may have the passion and wisdom to work effectively to restore your creation. Guide us in our personal, church and community efforts. Give us strength to continue on with this work when it is difficult and requires sacrifice. Bless the Earth and all its life in every way. We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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Season of Creation Devotional |
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The introduction and devotion for the first week of Season of Creation (Sept. 1-Oct. 4) can be found here.
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Interfaith Book Club and Chat |
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This coming Tuesday evening will be our first chat on Things Seen and Unseen, by Nora Gallagher. Order your copy today! Join us on Facebook, Tuesday at 7:30pm!
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Noon Bible Study - Tuesdays |
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We continue in our study of the book of Proverbs. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or are just popping in to try it out, you are welcome! There’s no homework or prerequisites for participation. Grab your Bible (whatever translation you use) and use this link for a lunch-time conversation where you’re welcome to enjoy your lunch while we feast on the Word.
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All Saints' ECW Meeting
Saturday, Sept. 19 @ 1:30pm
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The All Saints' ladies will meet outside the church on Saturday, September 19 at 1:30pm. Please bring a chair, your mask, and a snack/drink. We will social distance, but we will be together! If you have any questions please contact Sandi Lynn. |
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ECW - Province VII Meeting
This Saturday, Sept.12 - Online
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Join us for this Zoom conference on Saturday, September 12 from 9am to 12noon.
The keynote speaker, Cynthia (Cindy) Davis, will help us find inspiration by looking at women throughout the ages who shared the light of the God’s love in the world of their time. Cindy has been involved in telling the story of the people of God for most of her life. She has authored a dozen books, including seven books of Biblical fiction. You can find a complete schedule of the morning here and you can register for this FREE event here. |
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Save the Date - ECW Fall Gathering Online! |
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Fall Gathering will take place on Zoom Oct. 10, 2020.
Registration and more details will be announced soon.
We are so excited to have Jerusalem Greer, Staff Officer for Evangelism at the National Episcopal Church, as our speaker!
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Camp Mitchell Volunteer Opportunity |
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The Camp Mitchell Volunteer Corps, coordinated by Harold Hedges, Julie Wes, and Brook and Denise Chai, will have a volunteer day on Saturday, Sept. 12, beginning at 9 a.m. to clean up the grounds. You can join them to help keep the camp clean and safe during the re-imagining period. Hand tools will be provided, but bring your own gloves and, if possible, leaf blowers and weed wackers. Bring a picnic lunch, snacks, and water. |
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All contributions are helpful! Thanks to all who contribute to our neighbors. Here are items requested:
- Toilet Paper
- Shampoo
- Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
- Soap
- Shaving Cream and Razors
- Deodorant
- Laundry Soap
- Dish Soap
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Our Little Free Library & Pantry will be back! Thanks to Jackie Bromley, we have a Little Free Library waiting to be installed and a box of books ready for young readers. Deacon John Reese will be constructing the pantry early next month, so we’ll be up and running again soon.
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Food insecurity is heightened during this time of increased unemployment and kids being home from school. If you know of someone who has a need, here are some Bentonville-based resources (plus St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Rogers). Here’s a link to the NWA Food Bank that has a list of closings because right now many resources are not available.
- All Saints’ Little Free Pantry will come again as soon as we can! Food donations are still accepted inside.
- Christ the King, Wednesdays drive-up thru 2pm-3:30pm: they could use donations of paper goods and personal hygiene products.
- St. Andrew’s pantry is open on Tuesdays, 9am-11am: food distribution in the parking lot (no current needs expressed except for prayers for the effort and the health of all involved); St. Andrew’s also has a Little Free Pantry so you can donate non-perishable foods at any time.
- Little Free Pantry at Neighborhood Church on I Street: donate non-perishable foods at any time.
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Samaritan Community Center is still in operation (providing food for teachers, counselors, etc. to distribute to children and families) on Hudson in Rogers and has volunteer opportunities for those 18-61 years old. Find more information here.
- Second Street Pantry (UMC, downtown Bentonville): drive-thru pick up open Tuesdays, 1-3pm.
Do you know of a pantry that is open/needs donations? Let us know so we can share!
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Our discretionary fund is used to help those who call for assistance, typically for help with rent or utilities. Please know that this fund has been used to significantly help a few folks this month. You can contribute to the discretionary fund online (select “discretionary” from the drop-down tithe.ly menu) or by sending a check with “discretionary fund” in the memo. Between the Discretionary fund and Outreach funds marked for community purposes (both of which are excluded from Operating Budget purposes), we have offered over $10,000 in support for others since the end of JULY. Thank you.
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Square to Square Ride = Virtual |
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Cooler weather makes for even better biking weather! The Square to Square ride this fall includes a virtual component, and registration is open through Oct. 11.
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Hurricane Laura slammed into the Gulf Coast last week, which was the same week that marked the 15-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Episcopal Relief & Development is in constant communication with the impacted dioceses working to reach vulnerable populations devastated by the storm. Donate today to support these efforts.
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Replace Anxiety with Gratitude by Giving to UTO |
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This is a good time to focus on positive things and being grateful. Express your gratitude by remembering the United Thank Offering. Our UTO Grants still address needs that do not go away as our world deals with the coronavirus. More than $1 million has been awarded in 2020 for Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion mission and ministry, young adult, and seminarian grants.
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September 6-12 is Suicide Prevention Week#keepgoing |
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All Saints’ is a proud sponsor of AFSP’s Out of Darkness Walk for the third consecutive year. If you or someone you know could use resources of support https://afsp.org/keepgoing has tremendous resources, especially for sharing online.
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Prayers - Please Pray With Us For |
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- Mark
- Natalie
- Lori
- Robert
- Kailien
- Mary Beth
- Atawraw
- Joy
- Doug
- Mitch & Sierra
- Alice
- Rebecca
- Millions who are unemployed
- All who grieve
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- April
- Nancy
- Kathleen
- Margaret
- Anne
- Jose
- Mickey
- Jennifer
- Knox
- Linda & Leigh
- Those who are expecting: Michelle, and Adina
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- Eldon
- Cassie
- Mark and the Rolle family
- Pat
- David
- Dianne
- Paul
- Katie
- Sylvia
- Samantha
- All patients and workers affected by COVID-19
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Prayers for the departed: All who have died, Marsha, the 190,000+ who have died from covid-19, and all who have died at the hands of violence and injustice. May they rest in peace and rise in eternal glory. |
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It takes many people to support the ministries of All Saints'. Here are email links for leaders of lay ministries. If you have any questions or would like to help, please reach out. There is a place for you. Your participation is much needed and appreciated!
ECW - Sandi Lynn, all women of the church are encouraged to attend!
Interfaith representative - to be filled
Newsletter - Sandi Lynn, feedback and suggestions are always welcome!
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Church Phone Numbers and Office Hours |
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Church phone: 479.802.0302
Office hours: Tues - Friday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and other times by appointment.
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