Results from the All Saints Yard Sale

Saturday's yard sale was a big success. We raised approximately $1200, which will be divided among the Parish Events Committee, the Dayspring Center, the Tinker Street Initiative, and Holy Life Missionary Baptist Church (the congregation worshipping in our parish hall while they recover from the recent fire).

Thanks to all the volunteers who came out on Saturday and to the donors who provided inventory. And special thanks to our fearless coordinators, Patricia Griffin and Lance Ratliff.

Amy Bailey Preaches on the Beheading of John the Baptist

Yesterday Amy Bailey did a wonderful job taking the story of the beheading of John the Baptist and finding the resurrection narrative in it. If you missed it, or just wanted to read it again, Amy has graciously allowed us to reproduce her sermon below.

The readings for this Sunday were: Amos 7:7-15, Ps. 85:8-13, Eph. 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29

A few weeks ago I got an e-mail from Mark and Father Tom inviting me to choose one of several available Sundays in the preaching rotation here at All Saints. They knew I was looking forward to an opportunity to preach, and I have been, and so I chose this Sunday, and then I looked up the Gospel reading for today, and realized that it was about a Baptist preacher who preached an unwelcome message and was subsequently imprisoned and (gulp) beheaded. 

This story of a birthday dinner party for the rich, famous and powerful, featuring entertainment by the host’s “princess” of a daughter, concluding with a vengeance plot against the personal enemy of the host’s wife – sound like nothing so much as an episode of 21st century reality TV. The marriage of Herod and Herodias, his half-brother’s wife, comes to you courtesy of Jerry Springer. Herodias’ plan to do away with the man who dissed her husband is straight out of “Real Housewives of Ancient Galilee.” And the lurid finish to the evening (and to John the Baptist), following on the heels of some delightful choreography by the house’s young daughter, may be the next episode of “Dance Moms.”

Fun things to do at General Convention

So General Convention, the triennial gathering of the entire Episcopal Church is in town. Preliminary work is already under way, but things really get going Thursday, July 5, and run through July 12. Most events take place at the convention center or the JW Marriott. What's an All Saints member without an official role to do?

• Worship. Starting Thursday, there will be a community mass every day at 9:30am in the JW Marriott. On July 12, mass will be at 11:30. Note that on Sunday All Saints will cancel its 10am mass; we encourage you to go to the General Convention mass instead. You do not need to register as a visitor to attend any worship service.
• Celebrate: The mass on Sunday, July 8 is a huge festive gathering. We are excited that All Saints will be participating as a host to the delegations from our diocesan partners, Bor and Brasilia, thanks to a grant from the All Saints endowment. Contact Patricia Griffin for details on how to be seated with our guests at the Sunday mass. Also, at the Indiana Day celebration at Victory Field immediately following the mass, stop by the hospitality suite for our guests between 3-5pm. All Saints is sponsoring refreshments for the reception.
• Observe the legislative sessions. All sessions of the House of Deputies and most sessions of the House of Bishops are open to visitors. You can find the legislative calendar on the General Convention website.
• Check out the exhibit hall. Exhibitors from dozens of organizations within the Episcopal Church and other religious organizations will be at the convention. Our own Brother Francis Jonathan Bullock and his compatriots will be there -- stop by and say hi!
• A daypass for visitors costs $20. But volunteers get in free on the day of their shift. Volunteering is a great way to meet others in the diocese and around the country. Volunteer here.

There are some unofficial events worth mentioning. This is by no means an exhaustive list. You do not need to register as a visitor to attend any of these events.

• Solidarity rally and march with Hyatt workers. The Hyatt and other hotels in Indianapolis routinely hire temporary workers to clean rooms to avoid paying benefits. But maids who work as temporary workers are then blacklisted by the Hyatt as ineligible to be hired on full time. Whatever the human resources merits of the policy, the policy violates Christian ethics. The rally will begin on the steps of the State House on Thursday, July 5 at 4pm, and will march to the Hyatt from there. The rally will conclude at 6pm. E-mail Dianne Aid at sanmateo921@yahoo.com for more information.
•  Acts 8 Gathering for Prayer and Action. Bloggers Susan Brown Snook, Scott Gunn, and Tom Ferguson are hosting a visioning gathering for anyone who cares to attend. The budget and church structure are very hot topics at this year's convention. This gets into very wonky territory. But these folks are trying to do some visioning for what the future structure of the church might look like, understanding that how a church spends its money tells you a lot about its theology. Young people are especially encouraged to attend. Thursday, July 5 at 9:30pm. Capitol II Room at the Westin.
• Integrity Reception and Mass. For many participants at General Convention, the Integrity mass is one of the most inspiring and memorable events. Bishop Mary Glasspool will preside; Bishop Gene Robinson will preach. Monday, July 9 at 8:30pm, Sagamore Ballroom at the Indiana Convention Center. The mass will be preceded by a reception honoring Louie Crew, Integrity's founder, starting at 7pm, outside the Sagamore Ballroom.

Upcoming Service Cancellations

Due to the Independence Day holiday, there will be no 6:00 mass on Wednesday, July 4. Have a safe and happy holiday!

All Saints will cancel its 10am mass on Sunday, July 8. Please attend mass at the General Convention instead. It is located at the JW Marriott at 9:30am. Members are encouraged to carpool - arrive at All Saints by 8:30 on Sunday morning and we'll arrange rides down.

The 8am mass on Sunday will proceed as usual.

All Saints Calls Mother Suzanne Wille as Rector

A joint message from the Vestry and the Search Committee: Earlier this month, after a year of deliberation, the Search Committee unanimously recommended to the Vestry a candidate for our open rector position. The Vestry voted unanimously to issue a call.  We are pleased, proud and excited to announce that the Reverend E. Suzanne Wille (pronounced 'Willy') has accepted the call and will become the next Rector of All Saints.

Mother Suzanne was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  She graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Raldolph-Macon Woman's College in 1992.  She received a Master of Arts in English degree from Indiana University in 1996.  She taught English in a Catholic high school for girls in Chicago for ten years before discerning her call to the ordained ministry. She received her Master of Divinity degree and the E. William Muehl Prize in Preaching from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University in 2009. While a seminarian intern at St. Paul’s, Norwalk, famous for its “smells and bells” and its theology of Radical Welcome, she came to love Anglo-Catholic liturgy, to long for worship that was timeless, steeped in beauty and mystery. Mother Suzanne is currently serving as an Interim Pastor at Christ Church in Warwick, New York.  

When we met Mother Suzanne, we had the opportunity to share a Solemn Mass with her as Presider and Preacher.  The Search Committee and Vestry were all impressed with her attention to the liturgy and her preaching, and we are confident that you will be as well.  She subscribes to the progressive Anglo-Catholicism that we try to exercise at All Saints.  She is passionate about social justice, outreach and stewardship. Mother Suzanne enjoys knitting, running, and reading novels (often Victorian or 20th century British).  

Mother Suzanne and Tracey Lemon, her partner of twelve years, were married in New York state earlier this year.  They will be relocating to Indianapolis later this summer, and Mother Suzanne will assume her duties as Rector on or about September 12.  Her first mass will be a celebration of the Feast of the Holy Cross on Friday, September 14 at 6pm, and her first Sunday mass will be on Sunday, September 16 at 10am.