Amy Bailey to Preach on December 26

Amy was born and raised in Manhattan, KS. She got her undergraduate degree from Kansas State University in Music Education and her M. Div. from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in 2001, and was ordained in the American Baptist Churches USA. Amy just finished 9 years of pastoral ministry in August. She has a 15-year old daughter, Elizabeth, who is a sophomore at Franklin Community High School. Amy is glad to be openly attending Episcopal worship at last!

Baked Goods & Toilet Paper

Today the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention and Christ Church Cathedral hosted the annual memorial service for the homeless members of our community who died in 2010. This was part of the National Homeless Persons Memorial Service. All Saints parishioners provided desserts for the community meal that followed. Later in the day, All Saints helped out with a toilet paper shortage at the Damien Center. Patricia Griffin reports:

The service at the Cathedral was wonderful, as usual. Lance and I were both there, and we also saw Mary Roberts.

The pews were nearly filled, and two testimonials were of course heart-breaking, yet there is hope now for both of these individuals as they are getting on with their life and now off the street. There were 36 people that were honored today that died in 2010, which was down from about 50 in 2009. The service concluded with a moment of silence and 37 tolls of the church bells, one for each of those who had died, and one for those known only to God.

Prior to the service, we picked up the lemon pound cakes from Jane Billman, that she and Brendan baked at Jane's house on Saturday, for the event. Jane indicated they would feed 90 people. The organizers from CHIP were thrilled to get the home baked goods for the luncheon today.

On another note, Lance and I stopped by the Church this afternoon and picked up items for the Damien Center and delivered them. It must have been a premonition they might need what was in the contents, as there were several packages of toilet paper from AS, and they only had one left on the shelf.

News about other Episcopal observations of the National Homeless Persons Memorial Service can be found at the Episcopal Cafe.

The worship bulletin included a special prayer for those in need:

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

O God
When I have food,
Help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
Help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a warm home,
Help me to remember the homeless;
When I am without pain,
Help me to remember those who suffer;
And remembering,
Helm me to destroy my complacency,
And bestir my compassion,
Make me concerned enough to help
By word and deed, those who cry out
For what we take for granted. Amen.

Anonymous,
Prayers for the Common Good

Celebrate Christmas at All Saints

Start a new tradition or rekindle an old one by celebrating Christmas at the Episcopal Church of All Saints. Combining the traditional worship of the ancient church with a welcoming worldview, All Saints invites true believers, curious doubters, and faithful skeptics to share the mystery and wonder of Christmas.

In Christ's birth God enters creation, sharing the joy and suffering of every person. Following Christ's example, we welcome you to our church home: rich or poor; single, married, partnered, divorced, or widowed; gay or straight; religious or not. Our doors are open to you.

Christmas Eve - refreshments at 10:15pm. Carols at 10:30. Midnight mass starts at 11:00pm. Fr. Gordon Chastain preaching.

Christmas Day - mass with carols at 9:30am.

Sunday, December 26 - mass at 10am. Amy Bailey preaching

1559 N Central Ave. Indianapolis, IN

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Commemorative Christmas Ornament

In commemoration of the 100th Centennial Anniversary of our building the Flower Committee will be offering a 3.25 inch genuine acrylic ornament with our official name highlighting our anniversary dates.

We are suggesting a minimum donation of $5.00 be given to offset the cost of the endeavor and to raise money for the Flower Fund.

The ornaments will be blessed by the clergy so that your holidays may be blessed as well.

The ornaments will be available after the service this Sunday and supplies are limited.

Stewardship Report -- an Update...and a Challenge

The All Saints Stewardship campaign wrapped up last month. The Stewardship Committee (Scott Howard, Rose Lane, Brendan O'Sullivan-Hale) thanks everyone who pledged! Through your generosity, members of the parish have committed approximately $154,000 to church operations for 2011.

We can keep the lights on with this amount. But one of our goals for 2011, particularly as we engage in the search process, is to be able to expand our mission and outreach ministries. Our health ministries, outreach committee, education committee, Sunday school, and others, have been doing amazing good work on a budget of $0. Imagine what they could do with funding! Not to mention the activities we're planning for our centennial...

If you haven't pledged before, or have pledged in prior years but haven't yet pledged for 2011, now is the time.

An anonymous parishioner has committed to increase his or her pledge by matching $100 for every new pledge submitted between now and our celebration of the Baptism of Our Lord (January 9, 2011), up to a maximum of $2,000.

We don't want to leave this offer on the table. Please submit your pledge today!

Sunday Marks the 40th Anniversary of Fr. Tom's Ordination

There may not be any special pomp and circumstance this Sunday, but this 4th Sunday of Advent marks the 40th anniversary of Father Tom Honderich's ordination to the priesthood. Tom has served All Saints as affiliate clergy for many years, and has been a big part of the life of the church for the last three decades. Tom will preach and preside at this Sunday's mass.

Lasagna Dinner Raises $300 to Buy Food for Needy Families

Special thanks to all those who donated their time and resources to make the 2nd Annual Lasagna Dinner a big success. Thanks to your generosity, the Sunday School netted $300 to purchase food for those in need this holiday season. The Sunday School will go shopping after church this Sunday.

Christmas Cards for Veterans

In celebration of our Centennial, we're all trying to think 100 -- so tomorrow (12/12), we'll thank 100 of our veterans by filling out Christmas cards for 100 patients at Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. We'll have cards and pens ready at the service -- all we need are your thoughtful, kind words.

Look who else is 100...

Indiana Landmarks, our new neighbor down the street, is hosting its 2010 Indianapolis Holiday open house at the Alfred Glossbrenner Mansion at 3202 N. Meridian St. on Thursday, December 16 from 5:30-7:30. All Saints shares an architect and a birthday with this building. Both were built by Indiana architect Alfred Grindle, and both buildings celebrate their centennial this year.

For more information about the event, contact the Indiana Landmarks Central Regional Office.

Christmas Poinsettia Memorials & Thanksgivings

We are accepting contributions for poinsettias to be placed on the altar for Christmas Eve services. Make your memorial and thanksgivings known by placing them in the offering plate or contacting the office. Remembrances will be printed in the Christmas bulletins.

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS day, a day we remember our brothers and sisters who live with HIV/AIDS, those who care for them, and those we love who have lost the fight.


The rotating display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at the AIDS Interfaith Chapel of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco reminds us of the deep imprint AIDS has made on our own parish. This panel of the quilt remembers the Rev. Wayne Hanson, rector of All Saints.

What can we do today to honor the memory of those who have died, and provide help to those living with AIDS today?

1. Pray. For those infected with HIV/AIDS. For doctors, nurses, social workers, and other caregivers. For educators who help with HIV prevention. For the repose of the souls of those who have died. Give thanks for scientists and researchers whose work has enabled people living with AIDS to live longer, healthier lives. Pray that policymakers find ways to distribute lifesaving medications to all those who need them.
2. Attend the Memorial Service of Worship sponsored by the Circle City HIV/AIDS Coalition this evening at 6:30 at the Church Within.
3. Give generously to the Damien Center's Coby Palmer Food Pantry. Collection boxes are in the church. For the month of December, a suggested grocery bag includes 1 canned ham, apple sauce, scalloped potatoes, 2 canned vegetables, and Christmas candy. Or select other needed items from this list.