From Amy Bailey

The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham, leader of the Interfaith Power and Light movement will deliver a lecture entitled "Religion and the Environment" at Franklin College's Richardson Chapel on Thursday, March 3 at 7 p.m.

Bingham is the Canon for the Environment in the Diocese of California.The event is free and open to the public. Map and Directions

Hello from Steve Jamison

Steve Jamison left us just a few weeks ago to start his new life with the brothers of the Society of St. Francis, an order of Franciscan monks within the Anglican Communion. He sends us this update:

Just keeping in touch with All Saints. I arrived to Society of St. Francis safely and was able to settle in great. I had my postulate ceremony last night. I am slowly getting used to the flow of things here and still have a lot to learn. I jumped right in on all fours and played the piano for the masses. I hope and pray that all at All Saints keep me in their prayers as my journey is beginning with the Brothers here at SSF. I miss All Saints and of course the organ. Tell all hi and I send my love. I keep All Saints in my prayers.

Coins for Camp Collection - Next Two Sundays

On Sunday, February 27 and March 6, a separate offering will be collected to benefit any of our children who would like to go to camp at Waycross this summer. We are asking that you deposit your pocket change in the metal collection containers on these two Sundays.

The Waycross policy is that no child desiring to attend camp will be turned away due to financial limitations; however, because there are so many requests for scholarships, Waycross does ask that the local parish contribute in some way. Our Sunday School has been growing and we might have some of our own who would like to spend a week at our Diocesan camp and conference center. If not, the monies will be sent to Waycross to be added to the general scholarship fund.

So, what’s the big deal about metal collection containers? We want to hear a lot of noise as you support the youth in our parish and our Diocese. Of course, that green money will be gladly accepted but we’re hoping for a lot of coins so that everyone knows we are beyond our youth. If your normally deposit your weekly change in a jar where it’s just sitting around collecting dust, please consider bringing it to church the next two Sundays and dropping it into our containers to support a good cause.

And, if you’re interested in the 2011 Summer Camp schedule, there will be brochures on the table at the back of the church.

Forum on the Transition Process this Sunday

The Vestry met Monday night with the Rev. Canon Debra Kissinger on Monday night to get a feel for the shape of the transition process. The Vestry's ready to go, but a successful search process will take a lot of help from a lot of people throughout the church. Learn more this Sunday in an educational forum led by the Vestry after mass. Bring your questions -- we might not have all the answers yet, but we'll do our best.

RSVP's aren't required, but we'd love it if you'll tell us you're coming on Facebook. And if you want to study up in advance, the written materials we'll be working from are included in the February 21 vestry minutes, posted on our web site.

Smithsonian Partners with the Episcopal Church in Haiti

We've been praying for the Episcopal Church in Haiti for months now, so it seems appropriate that when the church in Haiti makes the New York Times, we ought to let you know about it. Most of Trinity Cathedral's world-renowned murals depicting the life of Christ in a Haitian context were destroyed in last year's earthquake, but several survived, and the Episcopal Church and the Smithsonian institution are partnering to save them.

The effort to save the murals is a visible extension of a little-known cross-border bond. The Episcopal Church of Haiti was founded by an African-American named James Theodore Holly, who led about 2,000 black Americans to Haiti in 1861 as part of a wider emigration movement. He and his sons played prominent roles as professionals and scholars after founding “what was actually Haiti’s first national church, and the first Episcopal church founded outside of the Anglophone world,” said Laurent Dubois, a historian at Duke University.

Miss the Annual Meeting?

Whether the snow and ice kept you away, or if you were just distracted by the pizza - fear not! The minutes of the annual meeting are now on our web site. Find the meeting minutes, plus minutes of vestry meetings, sermons, and all kinds of other materials in our Archives section.

A Message from the Bishop on this Sunday's Gospel

Dear Friends,

This Sunday we are presented with a lesson from Matthew’s gospel which is familiar to all of us and many of our members.  Some of the language in this lesson has worked its way into our vocabularies; “turn the other cheek,” and  “go an extra mile.” 

The problem is that what we mean by those phrases bears little or no resemblance to the original meaning, and in fact can completely obscure the lesson Jesus was offering his hearers.  I urge you to take this opportunity to set the record straight, and provide a teaching for our members which can help them embrace Jesus’ call to participate in doing justice and mercy.

The scholarly work for what I am offering you here was done by Walter Wink in his series of three books on the ‘powers of this world.’  One volume, entitled Engaging the Powers, gives an explanation of this teaching and what it meant when Jesus said it.  I had the privilege of hearing him offer this teaching in person – and it has stayed with me for lots of reasons.

The cultural context for this teaching is crucial to hold in mind; the people who were listening to Jesus took certain things for granted – understandings we do not share, and have completely lost over the centuries. 

The passage begins with Jesus saying once again, “you have heard……but I say to you.”  In this pattern he routinely tells them something which is more difficult than the original commandment – as in the lesson we had last week. 

The lex talionis – “eye for eye and tooth for tooth” was a law which limited the revenge response.  It permitted violence, but prohibited escalation of it.  No more was to be exacted than had been taken.  NO MORE than an eye for an eye, NO MORE than a tooth for a tooth.  What Jesus goes on to say to them is that no violence is permitted.  They are to be wise, non-violent, and yet effective by using the cultural norms and rules to their advantage.

A Centennial Valentine

Last Sunday, the Sunday school class celebrated Valentine's Day by giving everyone in the church a Valentine. In honor of our 100th anniversary, the Valentine design features 100 hearts.

Acolytes to be Commissioned this Sunday

This Sunday between the confession and the Peace, we'll be commissioning our acolyte team. Mark Gastineau writes:

On Sunday, the acolytes will be commissioned during Mass. We have not done this for a couple of years. It is important for two reasons: to remind us of the solemn duty we have taken on to serve God at the altar, and to show the congregation how many devoted acolytes there are in this parish. No rehearsal is necessary! We will simply gather in the crossing for the brief rite. I hope you will all be there.

Many thanks to all of you for your remarkable, selfless service as Acolytes. Every man, woman, and child in this parish says the liturgy is the most important thing to them, and YOU are vital in allowing them to make that assertion!

Change of Address: All Saints has Relocated to Antarctica

Ok, we're still at 16th and Central, but the church is surrounded by a sheet of ice. Due to the hazardous conditions in the parking areas and sidewalks around the church, we are asking people NOT to come to the church until the snow removal team has had the chance to remove the ice and salt the affected areas.

Mass on Wednesday, 2/2 and Choir Rehearsal on Thursday, 2/3 are both cancelled.

Saturday morning choir rehearsal, Sunday morning mass, and the annual meeting will all take place as scheduled.

Please stay safe!

Weather Alert 2/2/2011

Due to the ice storm, the Wednesday evening service is cancelled. Please be careful outside!