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Dear saints,
Many of you know that I have a love for India and that I spent four years there as a missionary in my early twenties. I taught in a boarding school that was established in 1900 by a Scottish missionary, Dr. John Anderson Graham. Over the course of three decades, in his spare time away from his day job in the local mission office, Graham built a self-sufficient school campus across what grew to be 500 acres of land, with a farm, a bakery, a hospital, school buildings and eventually about 20 cottages where children from infancy to 18 lived. In the middle of it all was the school chapel, built of stone, with the stained glass windows shipped over from Scotland. After Graham's death, the school put a plaque in his honor at the front of the chapel with the simple quote, 'It was in thine heart'.
The school has transformed the lives of generations of children in that part of the world. I have often marveled at how Graham did it. No doubt there was a lot of planning, a great deal of fundraising, and an extraordinary vision and belief. Yet, what I think drove Graham on was that building that school was indeed a matter of the heart.
Our discernment of what God calls us to be and do on our city block may be nothing like the scale of Graham's project, but at its core it is also a matter of the heart. In antiquity, the heart was where it was believed a person dwells. If you wanted know a person you would ask after their heart.
Over the past few weeks, I have had the distinct privilege of sitting with a number of you in your homes, over a meal, or at church, and have tried to ask what is the foundational question as we discern the future of our block: what's most important about All Saints' for you? What's of highest value? What's at the heart of the matter when you pray about this your spiritual home?
You'll notice that none of that is about what our best good idea might be for the block, nor is it about what could do the most good or generate the most money. It is about this place in our lives that is so much more than a place. It is about community. It is about us discovering here more of the fullness of who we truly are. It is about being part of a bigger story than the one we alone can tell.
I am treasuring the conversations I am getting to have. I give thanks for how God's call on my life has brought me here so now I can bear witness to how deep calls to deep; how for so many of us when we come to be here with one another we are coming home.
This Sunday is our final town hall gathering in Ellis Hall following the 9:00 a.m. service. I hope you can join us, or if not that you'll be able to catch up on what was said by watching later online. Maybe one day there'll be a modest plaque on a wall commemorating what the saints of the early 21st century determined to do on this block, large or small. I hope that it will also be said of us, that the vision realized here was in their hearts.
Peace,
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The First Sunday in Lent
Sunday, February 18, Church
Weekly Service Times*
- 8:00 a.m. (Traditional Language, No Music)
- 9:00 a.m. (Contemporary Language, Choral Music)
- 11:15 a.m. (Contemporary Language, Choral Music)
- 5:00 p.m. The Welcome Table (Contemporary Language, Contemplative Music)
PARKING: Overflow parking is available at Bank of America. Please request validation tickets from an usher upon arrival or exit in the Narthex.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: On February 24 and 25, the Publix Atlanta Marathon and Half Marathon will take place in Centennial Olympic Park. Expect traffic delays throughout downtown Atlanta. And for evening service attendees (The Welcome Table), The Fox Theatre’s Hamilton showings may impact traffic, travel times and/or impose detours en route to church.
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Join the Habitat Build
On eight Saturdays (January 20 - March 16), All Saints’ will build a home partnering with Habitat for Humanity. We invite you to be part of that effort by signing up at bit.ly/2024HabitatBuild for one or more of the build days. Volunteers are still needed for February 24 and March 9! No building experience is required! However, on-site volunteers must be at least 16 years old. And here is a helpful off-site volunteer opportunity for all ages!: Make Lunches for the Build Crew
Please find out more from build co-chairs, Jack and Clifton Askew-Norton in the courtyard between services or contact them at askew.nortons@gmail.com.
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Lenten Food Drive
Sunday, February 18 – Sunday, March 17, Ellis Hall
We hope you will participate in the MAC Lenten Food Drive! Last year, MAC distributed 8,485 bags of groceries to 1,902 households. Please grab a bag with a list of needed items on your way out of church on February 18 and return them filled throughout Lent to the bins outside Ellis Hall. Contact Jenny Jobson at jjobson@midtownassistancecenter.org
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Everyday Connections
Sundays, 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., Parish Hall 305
The proclamation of the Gospel during worship is the beginning of an ongoing dialogue between the text and those who hear it. The homily is a first response that begins, but does not end, this divine conversation. The “Everyday Connections” class provides a continual opportunity for participants to add their voice to the conversation by exploring the significance of the week’s Gospel reading for our everyday lives. To participate in this class via Zoom, please visit allsaintsatlanta.org/links and enter password “AdultFormation2024”.
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Jesus on the Front Page
Sundays, 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., Parish Hall 307
Join this ongoing discussion of the news of the day and how we are called as Christians to respond in the public arena, in our private lives, and in our prayers.
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The Welcome Table: Sunday Evening Worship Service and Dinner
Sundays at 5:00 p.m., In the Chapel and Ellis Hall
Before your busy week begins, the Welcome Table is a place to join with others and find rest and refreshment. Come to the Welcome Table: a service of music (song and solo instrument), prayer (together and in ways that speak to us individually), and communion. A community dinner for all participants follows the service.
NOTE: Thanks to parishioner Neal Idnani and our friends at NaanStop, we are pleased to share that we can meet most dietary restrictions at the Welcome Table dinner. In addition to the beautiful homemade meals that our parish will offer, we can also prepare delicious Indian food on request.
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This past Sunday, All Saints’ celebrated The Feast Day of Absalom Jones at our 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services. Absalom Jones was the first African American person to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church. He was a prominent abolitionist and church reformer in Philadelphia in the early 19th century. This year, we were honored to yet again be joined in worship by The Singing Sisters, who brought greetings from their spiritual home: Ebenezer Baptist Church. They were directed by long-time friend of our parish, Laura English-Robinson, who sang a moving rendition of “Give Me Jesus.”
We would love to get to know you! Our community looks forward to you joining us for upcoming services and events throughout the year! For more information visit allsaintsatlanta.org/calendar
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The Cornerstone Society recognizes parishioners who have made a planned gift to All Saints'. Join the more than 200 members who have made this important commitment.
Consider offering a gift to All Saints' future. A planned gift is offered today to support the church after your death. This is a thoughtful way to show your loved ones what matters to you. These gifts remain and grow in the All Saints' Endowment fund. This is a carefully managed fund that supports ministries and programs now and long into the future.
For more information contact the Planned Giving Committee, Chair: David Begley david@wdbegley.com.
Important Pledge Payment Note: If you have set up your pledge to be paid with a credit card, check now to see if the charges are indeed going through. Look at your January statement. Do not wait until December to realize your card needs updating. Thank you so much!
If you have questions, please e-mail them to: ehayes@allsaintsatlanta.org.
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To make an Offering today or pay your pledge,
click the Give Now button above. And visit us online at allsaintsatlanta.org/give.
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Novel Theology >> Meets one Wednesday a month on Zoom from 7:00-8:00 p.m.. Click the link above to learn more and register.
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Easter Flower Donations
As we prepare ourselves during Lent to meet our risen Lord on Easter Sunday morning, we also prepare our worship spaces to celebrate His resurrection with bountiful floral offerings. These offerings are completely funded by donations from grateful parishioners in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for blessings of all types. Donations can be of any amount and can be made online (bit.ly/ASEC2024EasterFlowers) or in person in the courtyard between the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services (February 25, March 3 and March 10). Your dedication will be acknowledged in our Easter bulletin. All donations must be received by Sunday, March 10.
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The Baptism Banner Committee
The Baptism Banner Committee is looking for new volunteers! If you enjoy crafting and giving gifts to others, your enthusiasm for our mission is what we seek most! The time commitment is flexible. Please contact Kate Mabry at Kate.L.Mabry@gmail.com or 404-274-5313 to get involved.
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Ushering for All Saints
All Saints' Usher Ministry invites volunteers to serve our church. We offer hospitality and assistance to all worshippers. Ushers distribute bulletins, collect offerings, provide counts and assist with communion. 9:00 a.m. usher teams serve three months per year. 11:15 a.m. usher teams serve four months per year. In you would like to serve, contact Charlie Rigby at polyadd333@gmail.com.
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All Ages Lenten Devotional Materials
For Lent 2024: Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024 – Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
Pick up your choice of Lent Devotional Materials for all ages. The children and youth team purchased two amazing resources for the parish for Lent devotions, one about Climate Change and one using Mary Oliver poetry. Parishioners can choose which one they would like to use as individuals or families. These printed resources will be available at Wednesday Night Supper on Wednesday, February 14 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. in Ellis Hall. Digital versions are available on our website at bit.ly/2024ASECLent.
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Bonhoeffer's Worldly Christianity and Its Relevance Today
Wednesdays in winter, beginning February 21 – March 20, 6:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., P 305/306
Many U.S. Christians are drawn to Dietrich Bonhoeffer—the twentieth-century, German, pastor-theologian and Nazi resister—because he courageously lived what he believed. While plenty of Christians admire Bonhoeffer as a historical figure or an exemplar of Christian faith, far less do the harder work of reading his theology. After gaining an overview of his life and work through the documentary, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Pacifist, Nazi Resister, this course, led by The Rev. Dr. Jennifer McBride, will introduce participants to some of Bonhoeffer’s most compelling theological concepts and explore their relevance for Christian discipleship and public engagement today. To participate in this class via Zoom, please visit allsaintsatlanta.org/links and enter password “AdultFormation2024”.
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Sport and the Common Good
Sunday, February 25 and Sunday, March 3, 10:20 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., Ellis Hall
This course, led by The Rev. Dr. Andrew Barnett, will engage the formative role that sports can play in our personal and collective lives, for good and for ill. How might we leverage the power of sport to advance the common good? Is there a role for the church and Christian theology in this visible public space?
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Retirement as Vocation: Discerning God’s Call and Practical Considerations
Sunday, February 25 and Sunday, March 3, 10:20 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., P 305/306
“Should I retire? What will I do? Who will I be if I am not working?” These questions are not at all uncommon as we get into and past middle age. In this course, led by The Rev. Karen Evans, we will talk about retirement in its various stages and how we can answer God’s call to a new way of living out our Christian life. The class is encouraged also to participate in Legacy Sunday on March 10 in Ellis Hall, where we will speak practically about making wills, health care powers of attorney, funeral preparation, and the other decisions that are prudent to make before they are needed.
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All Saints' CONNECTS: Lent Spiritual Conversations
All Saints’ Connects is our small group ministry for spiritual conversation. The Lent groups will run from the week of Ash Wednesday (the week of February 11) through Holy Week (the week of March 17). There are multiple days and times to choose from. Our small groups meet weekly for one hour by Zoom. To sign up for a group, contact Jilli Robertson at jilli.ff.robertson@gmail.com
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The Journey Bible Study
Mondays in winter at 11:00 a.m.
The Journey Bible Study will be walking with Jesus on his way to the Cross and the joy of the Resurrection. We will be reading the Gospel of Luke, Chapters 22-24. The Journey meets online. To join please send an email to The Rev. Karen Evans, Parish Priest Associate at kevans@allsaintsatlanta.org, and you will be sent the link.
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Contemplative Prayer
Wednesdays in winter and spring, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Parish Hall 202
Join fellow parishioners for contemplative prayer after Wednesday Night Supper. As Richard Rohr says, “In contemplation—the practice of being fully present in mind, body, and spirit—we join in deep solidarity with other spiritual traditions in working toward the healing and restoration of ourselves and our world.” Participants read aloud from and discuss contemplative writers in the first half hour, then practice silent centering prayer in the second half hour.
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Wednesday Night Supper
Wednesdays in winter, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Ellis Hall
Enjoy an evening meal in community followed by a casual worship service and communion. The cost is $11 for adults and $5 for children and youth and college students. You may register here (bit.ly/ASEC-WNS1) and pay online or pay at the door.
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Novel Theology: “The Penelopiad” by Margaret Atwood
Wednesday, February 21, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Ross Room and on Zoom
This month we will be discussing The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood. The discussion will be led by Jerry Byrd.
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All Saints’ Goes to the Capitol 2024
Tuesday, March 5, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Off-Site
Join Faithful Advocates to talk with legislators about pending legislation. Don’t worry if you’ve never gone before! Others will be there to help guide you through the steps. Mark your calendars! For more information contact Suzanne Wakefield at faithfullocals@gmail.com
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All Sorts’ Gaylight Savings Lunch
Sunday, March 10, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., Ellis Hall
Join All Sorts, the All Saints' LGBT+ and friends group for formation and fellowship for our launch lunch on March 10 in Ellis Hall. Sign up via the link below for the potluck if you can participate, or just bring yourselves! Families are welcome: bit.ly/AllSortsGaylight
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Weekly Children & Youth Formation
Nursery/Little Saints: Birth-Pre-K, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., 1st floor of the Pritchett Center
Children’s Church: K-5th grade, 8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., 2nd floor of the Pritchett Center
Children Formation: K-5th grade, 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., 2nd floor of the Pritchett Center
Youth Formation: 6th-12th grade, 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., The Attic (3rd floor of the Pritchett Center)
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SAVE THE DATE: Vacation Bible School (VBS) has been scheduled for June 3 - 7 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon, with after-care available. Watch this space for additional information about VBS! | |
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Volunteering with Bridge of Light
Saturday, February 17, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Off-Site
Join us in providing services and dignity to individuals experiencing homelessness in Atlanta with our community partner, Bridge of Light. Bridge of Light is a non-profit organization that utilizes mobile resource centers to offer showers, laundry, and clothing to individuals experiencing homelessness. Please contact Tasia at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org.
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Fowling Social
Saturday, February 24, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Fowling Warehouse
Join us for some friendly competition as we try our hand at this bowling and football combination game of Fowling. Dress in activewear is suggested and small bites will be provided. Please contact Tasia at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org.
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Young Adults' Brunch
Sunday, February 25, 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., The Ross Room
Come enjoy a delicious meal and lively conversation with the All Saints' Young Adults'. All are invited – whether you're looking to connect for the first time, reconnect after a long while, or keep connections going! Childcare is available upon request. Please contact Tasia at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org.
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Young Adult Fellowship Online!
Are you in your 20s or 30s and interested in fellowship, discipleship, and service? Reach out to Tasia Blair at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org to receive our monthly newsletter, get added to the WhatsApp group chat and find out what events we have coming up!
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SERVICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | |
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Midtown Assistance Center (MAC) Sunday
Sunday, March 3, 9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Church and the Kennedy Courtyard
Join us for MAC Sunday on March! Representatives from MAC will speak at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services. And please stop by the courtyard between services to learn more about MAC and opportunities to engage in MAC's work.
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Core Ministries’ Progressive Dinner
Wednesday, February 28, 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Ellis Hall
Join us for an amazing Italian dinner from 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and enjoy a tour of our Core Ministries from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Children are welcome! Bring one friend who didn't attend the dinner last year and get their entry free! Register here: bit.ly/ASECMinistriesDinner
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Threads Clothing Needs
Threads has received a wonderful donation of approximately 500 nearly new and new children's clothing items! What the Threads shop needs NOW are books and pajamas. And if you want to know what the exciting Threads shop is all about, please stop by the shop on the block and drop off a donation! Thanks so much!
To help us replenish, shop at bit.ly/ASECThreadsFeb2024. Thank you in advance!
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Threads Welcomes Families for Shopping
Threads welcomes families for in-store shopping Thursdays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Interested in volunteering? Contact Marcia Mayfield at threads@allsaintsatlanta.org
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Respite Care Atlanta
Respite Care Atlanta is a daycare for people with dementia. The program is from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday at 2nd Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Buckhead. This is a very flexible fun-filled volunteer opportunity! The next information session will be Monday, March 11. Contact Susan Virgin at sdv20@bellsouth.net.
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Read The Faith and Justice Collective's
February Newsletter
The Faith & Justice Collective is part of the mission of Adult Formation. Comprised of All Saints’ ministries committed to serving others as part of our Baptismal Covenant, the Collective provides information about initiatives, people, and educational opportunities in the parish and in our city. The February issue includes:
- Covenant's Recovery Resources Program Restores Lives and Families
- Singing Sisters Return for February 11 Services
- First Female Episcopal Priests in Spotlight at February 11 Luncheon
- Highlights from Epiphany Pilgrimage to Charleston
- Faithful Advocates Plan Visit to State Capitol
- Black History Month Events across Atlanta
- Carter Center Sponsors Prayer Service for Our Nation
Click here to sign up and receive the newsletter delivered to your inbox
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Click the image above to view our "thank yous" to parishioners from various staff members. We appreciate the ways you serve our parish community! | |
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Photo Sharing at All Saints’
The Communications Team invites you to submit photographs of All Saints’ events via e-mail for inclusion in forthcoming publications, newsletters, monitor feeds and on social media accounts. If you have content to share, please send photographs via e-mail to communications@allsaintsatlanta.org in .JPG or .PNG formats.
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Connect with us on Realm!
Learn more >> Don't forget to join Realm, our new platform for online giving, directory, and event registration.
Questions? Please contact Betsey Gibbs at bgibbs@allsaintsatlanta.org.
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