Weekly e-news and updates
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May 06, 2022 | Volume 16, Issue 18
Fourth Sunday of Easter / Year C
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The flowers on the altar are in Loving Memory of Amy Elizabeth Dowd by Carolyn & Ron Sundquist
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A Prayer for the Tired, Angry Ones
by Laura Jean Truman
God, We’re so tired.
We want to do justice, but the work feels endless, and the results look so small in our exhausted hands.
We want to love mercy, but our enemies are relentless, and it feels like foolishness to prioritize gentleness in this unbelievably cruel world.
We want to walk humbly, but self-promotion is seductive, and we are afraid that if we don’t look after ourselves, no one else will.
We want to be kind, but our anger feels insatiable.
Jesus, in this never-ending wilderness, come to us and grant us grace.
Grant us the courage to keep showing up to impossible battles, trusting that it is our commitment to faithfulness, and not our obsession with results, that will bring in Your shalom.
Grant us the vulnerability to risk loving our difficult and complicated neighbor, rejecting the lie that some people are made more in the image of God than others.
Grant us the humility of a de-centered but Beloved self.
As we continue to take the single step that is in front of us, Jesus, keep us from becoming what we are called to transform.
Protect us from using the empire’s violence—in our words, in our theology, in our activism, and in our politics—for Your kingdom of peace.
Keep our anger from becoming meanness.
Keep our sorrow from collapsing into self-pity.
Keep our hearts soft enough to keep breaking.
Keep our outrage turned towards justice, not cruelty.
Remind us that all of this, every bit of it, is for love.
Keep us fiercely kind.”
Amen
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This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday, and as we read and ponder that most well-known of Psalms, we will be reminded again of His deep love and watchcare over us..... "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil"..... is this possible? In our angst, we are learning that yes, the Presence of our Good Shepherd, and HIS strength in our weakness, can allay the fears. We fix our eyes and our hearts on God.
This Sunday, the choir will be singing a version of Psalm 23 by Howard Goodall, from a long-ago show on PBS entitled "The Vicar of Dibley"..... and this lovely rendition is linked here for you.
I leave you with a verse from Psalm 28 that has been deeply encouraging to us..... it brings a story from 12 years ago, when Rachel was single, and here in the States for a rest, as she prepared to leave her community of 8 years in Galati, Romania, and join 4 other folks to pioneer a work in Chisinau, Moldova. She was here locally in the fall of that year, and she collected lovely leaves, and used silver paint to tenderly write many names of children, families and staff she had come to love in Romania. She invited me to join her along the Swift River in Tamworth, as we prayed together and she gently set sail these many leaves and watched them float away down the river..... symbolic of the impending parting she was facing, and the new "unknowns" in Moldova. The Scripture we shared was Psalm 28: 9 --
"Save your people, and bless Your inheritance: Be their Shepherd and carry them forever."
It is the cry of our hearts for them, for so many...
In His tender care, with you,
Holly
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In Carroll County, New Hampshire, community level is currently Medium, Wolfeboro has 17 reported cases, and several in our All Saints’ community are currently positive (thankfully no one has significant symptoms) as of yesterday 5/5/22.
· If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
· Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines/boosters
· Please get tested if you have symptoms
People may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.
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Episcopal Church statement on reports concerning Supreme Court case pertaining to abortion
May 3, 2022 - Office of Government Relations
Since 1967, The Episcopal Church has maintained its “unequivocal opposition to any legislation on the part of the national or state governments which would abridge or deny the right of individuals to reach informed decisions [about the termination of pregnancy] and to act upon them.” In light of the recent report about a pending decision in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, The Episcopal Church reaffirms our commitment to “equitable access to women’s health care, including women’s reproductive health care,” which we view as “an integral part of a woman’s struggle to assert her dignity and worth as a human being.” The Office of Government Relations will continue to advocate at the federal level to protect reproductive rights.
Our purpose is to claim the power of God’s love in our life – in our worship, learning and service – as we share the love of Jesus Christ with others.
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Confirmation Class in Preparation for Bishop’s Visitation
The Bishop visits each congregation in the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire at least every two years. At this time, the Bishop confirms and receives members of the church, and may also officiate at baptisms, meet with the vestry, attend a special forum or special meal or coffee hour. We are looking forward to welcoming Bishop Rob on Sunday, September 18th at both 8:00 and 10:00 am worship.
If you, or if you know someone interested in confirmation, reception, or reaffirmation, please contact the church office to schedule a meeting with Pastor Bill. For those adults and youth who wish to make a public affirmation of their faith by being confirmed or received, we are planning a series of gatherings over the summer months and will try and schedule based on interested individuals availability.
Confirmation, Reception, Reaffirmation: Which is right for you?
· Confirmation is a public affirmation of faith by middle or high school youth and adults, celebrated by the prayers and laying on of hands by our bishop. It is a celebration of your baptism and your desire to live out your faith in the Episcopal Church. If you were baptized as a child (in any denomination) but never did confirmation, this rite is for you.
· Reception is for those who have been baptized and confirmed in a Christian denomination that has a ritual of confirmation (such as Methodists, Catholics or Lutherans) who wish to join the Episcopal Church.
· Reaffirmation of Faith is for those who have been baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church, but in a church other than All Saints’.
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Project for Hybrid (in person and online) Gatherings at All Saints
We will be installing new technology in the Beck Memorial Library in the next month to facilitate hybrid gatherings. A new smart television monitor, laptop computer and Meeting Owl that will capture everything with a 360-degree camera, mic, and speaker so everyone (those physically in the room and those on line via Zoom) can be seen and heard.
This project will allow groups like Women’s Worship, Men’s Bible Study, Thursday Bible Study, and Vestry Meetings to pivot from online only to hybrid gatherings. The new technology will allow groups to include participants who are unable to meet in person. The project costs $1,800 and we welcome gifts to off-set the cost. Please write “Owl Project” on your check memo line
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Caregivers of Southern Carroll County and Vicinity
For over thirty years Caregivers of Southern Carroll County and Vicinity has been providing transportation at no charge to those who haven't any other way to get to medical appointments or some other medical facility. Either they don't have a car or have had to give up driving. We serve four towns: Wolfeboro, Tuftonboro, Ossipee and Alton.
We are very much in need of drivers. It is an ideal volunteer job. You can choose to only drive within the town of Wolfeboro, or are if you are willing to drive to towns such as Rochester, Laconia, Dover, and Somersworth. Occasionally, we have requests to drive as far as Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. You can volunteer to be available any time; however, if you are called and it is inconvenient, all you have to say is "No, I'm not able to." Any time you can give is so appreciated. Drivers are reimbursed, if a trip is over 50 miles round trip.
All clients must be able to get in and out of a car independently as our drivers are only required to pick up, transport, and return them to their homes.
We hope you will consider this opportunity to volunteer. More information is available at our telephone number 569 - 6780 or call Betty Coolidge at 569 - 2882.
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Please consider brewing some coffee when you arrive early for worship on Sunday. All that is needed is to make a couple pots of coffee and put out some coffee cups.
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Please consider participating as a Greeter at Sunday’s Worship. The most important role of a greeter is to make sure all are welcome. Let’s make sure visitors feel welcome and know how to get to the service.
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April 2022 Directory is available in print and pdf form
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New Thursday Bible Study
On Thursday, April 28th at 3:00 pm we will begin studying the Book of Exodus. If you have not received the Thursday Afternoon Bible Study e-mails before and would like to be added, please share your e-mail with Pastor Bill.
The message of Exodus is of God acting to free a powerless people and bring them into covenant relationship. This event reveals God’s faithfulness to Israel and to Egypt and all other nations of the world as well. The exodus is so important that it is even used to describe who God is: “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2). The people become the Lord’s “treasured possession out of all the people’s,” “a priestly kingdom,” and “a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6) and receive the Torah to show them how to live in relationship with this gracious and liberating God through the everyday activities of life.
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The book group is taking a break! Beginning Tuesday, April 26th, the group will be discussing Jamie Ford’s novel, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
May 10 pages 223 – the end
The author will be speaking May 17th – all are invited to join in reading the book and meeting the author!
Please join Pastor Bill Petersen (ASEC) and Pastor Donna Muise (FCCW) as we gather via Zoom on Tuesdays 4:00-5:15 pm for reflection and discussion. Join Zoom Meeting by computer at: https://zoom.us/j/98230488609?pwd=QXlLUjczMlp2OWlqZVlEUmI2K084dz09, Meeting ID: 982 3048 8609, Passcode: 012281, or by phone at: (929) 205-6099, Meeting ID: 982 3048 8609.
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Please let us know if you wish to continue receiving the monthly calendar by mail. Please email the office at allsaints@metrocast.net or call Deb at 603-569-3453 to let us know if you wish to continue to receive the mailing.
Otherwise, you may pick up a paper calendar from the resource table outside the Parish office or in the Narthex. You may also request a .pdf of the calendar by email at any time.
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Join us for Dinner Bell Thursday Evenings
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Our Dinner Bell Community Meals is now offered as a To-Go program every Thursday. Meals may be picked-up in the parking lot from your car.
Guests are invited to make reservations by calling the church office Monday (Call in reservation time 10am to 4pm) or Tuesday (Call in reservation time 2pm- 4pm) to place orders and indicate pickup time (Thursday 4-6 pm).
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While we are apart we are the church together on-line. There are many ways to connect with one another to see, hear and share God online at All Saints'.
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9:00 am - Worship in-person and via Facebook Live
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Our Parish
Prue Fitts, Felicity Freund, Judy Hess, Zell Kellogg, Bhupendra & Judy Khetani, Jacqueline McLaughlin, Penny Meyer, Carol Pearson, Danielle Pierpont.
Our Family & Friends
Joe Blackett, Mary Ellen Davis, Michael Dowd, Stephanie Fullam, Ruth Gray, Faye Juul, Tom Southern, Debe Tetherly, Bubba Toupes, Peggy Young.
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Accessing books in the Beck Library
User name: AllSaintsWolfeboro
Password: +BeckLibrary+
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Paper copies can be found on the table outside the office.
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