The Messenger, October 2007

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:21

Here we are in October.  One of the things we do in October is to start preparing for the Every Member Canvass Drive that will take place next month.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…  We are God’s treasures.  Jesus gives us the association between our money and our devotion.  I can’t help to think of the spiritual wisdom taken straight from the bone marrow of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “It is in giving that we receive,” St. Francis of Assisi said.  It is in letting go of the self that we are reborn into the authentic human life that God intends.

This past year at All Saint’s, we have become focused about offering members and friends different opportunities to grow in faith.  In fact, because we recognize growth in faith as central to our mission, we have embraced the motto: “of seeking and serving Christ in all persons…” (BCP 305)  We seek in every way and in every setting to grow in faith.  There are many ways to grow in faith.  Serving, worshipping, teaching, cooking, learning and other ministries all help us grow in faith.  We also need to include one other Christian practice: giving.  Giving generously is a way to grow in faith.

Giving helps us grow in faith in that it requires a leap of faith.  Since human beings tend to be a cautious people, sometimes giving does not come easily.  A leap of faith is hard to do.  We tend to be the planners who take things one-step at a time.  Often times, we remind each other to “look before you leap!”  So, we spend a lot of time looking and little time leaping.  Giving generously sometimes requires a leap of faith.  Another way giving helps us grow in faith is that it is an offering of ourselves.  God doesn’t want our money because it doesn’t mean much to us.  Rather, God wants our money because God knows that it means a great deal to us.

In our materialistic world, Christians need to help people redefine the good life, which has nothing to do with materialism or consumerism.  Contrary to popular belief, Christ didn’t come to empower us with wealth, successfulness and happiness.  Christ came to make us faithful.  He came to free us to love God and our neighbor with an unconditional love of willing to give whatever it takes.

God asks for our whole hearts.  When we give our whole heart, then God’s treasure is complete.  God wants our treasure because God wants our hearts.

October greetings to all of you!

A special thank you to all our church family who have stepped up to make our Fall season such a great success!  Sunday school attendance is up, the building and grounds look good, and we have had a good response to filling our committees.

I cannot let a month go by without again expressing our appreciation to The Reverend Dr. Margie Holm for unselfishly giving so much of her time to All Saints’ Church.  She has been readily available in times of need to many of our parishioners for pastoral visits.  I have spoken with many of you who have relayed to me how much her presence and support has meant to them over the last year.  During the Eucharist it has been very special, to me, to have Margie address me by my name when receiving the sacraments.  I feel Margie has grown as well as a priest in developing her sermons as well as her relationships with those who attend All Saints’.  We are very grateful for the love, dedication, and peace she has given All Saints’ Church and its parishioners during the time we have been blessed to have her with us.

There will be canoe a trip down the Roanoke River from Weldon to Halifax for the EYC on Saturday, October 26^th.  If anyone, adult or youth, is interested in this trip please contact Vickie Irby, our parish administrator, to sign up for it.  You may bring either your own watercraft such as a paddleboat, canoe, powerboat, raft or anything that will float.  Or you may observe from the riverbank if you prefer.  Come out and support our youth.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments about anything regarding All Saints’ Church you can reach me by email at >rjburke@rjburkeinc.com<, by phone at 252-532-0700, or by mail at Robert J. Burke, P O Box 699, Littleton, NC 27859.

God’s peace,

Robert J. Burke
Senior Warden

Margie’s Bookshelf

Roots and Wings: The Human Journey from a Speck of Stardust to a Spark of God
by Margaret Silf
Eerdman’s, 2007

This book weaves together the science and spirituality that make up the story of our lives.  In these ancient beginnings, she takes us back to Genesis for a look at our contract with life.  She explores the search for becoming truly and fully human all the while discovering our own stories.  Margaret Silf takes us on a wonderful spiritual journey with her imagination and humor.  She was raised as a Methodist and has embraced Catholicism.  She is from the U.K. and is a popular spiritual writer.

A Book of Hours by Thomas Merton
Edited by Kathleen Deignan
Sorin Books, 2007

Kathleen Deignan has put together the writings of Thomas Merton in this wonderful book that reveals Merton’s focus on nature, scripture, history and culture.  This book is a great way to learn how to pray the hours in the ancient monastic way.  Merton belonged to the Roman Catholic order of Trappist Monks that called for prayer at least four hours a day.  These prayers, called the four prayer stations occur at dawn, noon, dusk and evening.  This book invites us to look at koans, (parables) mantras (chanting) and breath prayers.  Merton was a mystic and contemplative who used many different techniques to attain fuller relationship with God.

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
Doubleday Press, 2007

This is a different book for Grisham.  When he was writing The Broker, he did some researching in Italy and discovered that American Football did indeed exist in Europe.  This book is about a third string NFL player who is a three-time loser (or was it 4 or 5?) who bombed out of the NFL in a really big way.  He finds refuge in Italy with his coach, new teammates and of course, his first true love.  This is a wonderful story of redemption, history, culture and love.  I suggest this book for anyone; it’s a fast and easy read.

Episcopal Church Women

We had good food, good attendance and an interesting program on Sept. 12.   Thank you, Pat for your time and effort.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday October 10.  The board meeting starts at 10:15 and Holy Eucharist is at 11:30 followed by lunch and the program. Please remember to call Margie Musgrove no later than Sunday if you have signed up for the lunch meals and are unable to attend this month.  Those of you who have signed up know who you are.  We are happy to have others attend just let Margie M. know and settle the financial situation with Deedie. If you have not paid Deedie your $42 for the 6 meals she will be glad to accept your money on the 10^th.

The 2007-08 year book is now available and if you have not gotten yours please check at the back of the church or with Sally Hardison.  We want everyone to have a yearbook.

I am delighted that we will have members from All Saints’ attending the Northeast Convocation meeting in Tarboro on the 9th & 10th of November.  Please remember to make your reservation by Oct 9 if you plan to spend the night.  The Holiday Inn Express there has set aside a block of rooms; for $57 you can get 2 double beds to 1 room provided you make your reservations by that deadline.  Of course you can drive on a daily bases if you so desire.  Our new bishop will have communion Friday evening and our speaker sounds very interesting for Saturday morning.  Since we are hosting this affair our responsibility is the packets that will be given at registration.  We have finished with the covers and will need more hands to assemble the material when we receive the information to put into the packets.  I will let you know when this material is ready.

I have received information on operation Christmas Child and the EYC hopes to use this project in their activities during the month of October.  They need our shoe boxes and our money and would love to have this at the October meeting.  These boxes are due in early November.

Please continue to save the graduate child and the bar code on the soup cans and the wrappers on other Campbell, Pace and Prego products.

FOOD FAIR:  Prepare or partially prepare items now that can be placed in the freezer so that that last week is saved for items that should not be placed in the freezer. I  am now preparing apple pie filling and pear cakes for the freezer.

I look forward to seeing you on Oct 10th if not before.

Sisters in Christ,
Ruthie G.

FOOD FAIR                  FOOD FAIR
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2007

Chuck Gowen will be preparing his famous Bar-B-Q again this year and will be taking advance orders.

Please call Chuck at 535-7970 (w)/535-3425 (h)
or Vickie in the parish office at 537-3610
before Wednesday, November 14
to place your advance order.

St. Francis Guild News

The St. Francis Guild is an outgrowth of Christian Social Relations which is an office in the ECW.  It is a group of parishioners who visit, send cards or take food as needed.  Peggy Barber is Chair of this group and has asked that cards be sent to the following.  The Committee for October is: Patricia Barnes, Betsey Moncure and Sandy Lehman.

· Ronnie Mitchell is now at the Guardian Care in Scotland Neck.  Please continue to mail your cards to PO Box 1128, Tillery, NC  27887

· SPECIAL PRAYERS for: Pat Harris, Kathleen Davis, Ida Bowers, Amber Keeter and Betty Mooring.

· Any nursing home residents—see your ECW booklet.

 If you know of someone who would like to be contacted or visited by this group, please call Peggy Barber at 537-6368 or Vickie in the parish office at 537-3610.

Joys…….Congratulations to Christin and Dusty Harrison on their recent wedding.

and

Concerns…... Our sympathy to Joanne Parrot and the loss of her grandson, Franklin.

Brothers and Sisters,

The Statement of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church responding to the requests, questions and concerns addressed to us, by the Primates of the Anglican Communion is a significant accomplishment, a positive step, and a hopeful sign.

Our statement was crafted after two days in prayer and conversations with the Archbishop of Canterbury and other leaders of the Anglican Communion.  It follows two days of work and worship in New Orleans and Mississippi to support the work of rebuilding by the church and community there after hurricane Katrina.

The result was that bishops holding different perspectives on the issues before us were able to find common ground.  The statement was approved by a nearly unanimous vote of those present and participating.  I am aware of only one bishop who was unable to vote in the affirmative. Liberals, conservatives, and those in between were able to find agreement in a context of mutual respect and fervent prayer.  In finding common ground, we were able to discover the high ground.

Bishops Gregg, Marble, and I participated fully in the discussions and we support the actions of our House of Bishops.  There is good reason to be hopeful that the response by the bishops will be positively received by the leadership of the Anglican Communion. This is a significant accomplishment, a positive step, and a hopeful sign.

Keep the Faith,
+Michael

Intercessions

Let us pray for the sick.

O Christ our Lord. Who art the Physician of salvation, grant unto the sick the aid of heavenly healing. Look upon all faithful people who are sick, and who love to call upon thy name, and take their souls into they keeping, and vouchsafe to deliver them from all sickness and infirmity. Amen.
O God, who knowest the necessities of all they children; We pray thee to have in thy holy keeping those precious souls, nearest and dearest to us, who have departed this life in they faith and love. Provide for all needs, sustain and comfort them, protect them for all ill, and grant them eternal joy in thy service. Give them peace and rest in they presence, and bring them to that glorious perfection promised to they saints; for the sake of him who died and rose again for us, they Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pray List

We would like to print our prayer list in upcoming Messengers. If your name or a loved ones name is on the prayer list and you wish NOT TO HAVE IT PRINTED, please contact Vickie in the parish office.

BROTHERHOOD MEETING
Monday, October 8, 2007
6:30 PM

Speaker will be Brent Lubbock
Project Manager for Sylvan Heights
Waterfowl Park and Eco-Center.

Dinner will be provided

ALL MEN OF ALL SAINTS’
ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND BROTHERHOOD

If you have questions call
Marvin Ward at 537-4406

OUTREACH

The Outreach Committee met on September 26th and decided to continue dedicating the second Sunday of each month to an Outreach project. Our first project on October 14th will be support for the Honduras Mission trip (January 4 - 13) that we heard about during Lent. You may make a donation; checks should be made out to the Church of the Nativity with "Honduras Mission" in the memo line. If you wish to support the educational fund which enables children in Honduras to be educated beyond the 6th grade, put "Jerry Nathan Fund" in the memo line. If you wish to donate items, the following are difficult for the people of Honduras to obtain:
 

Adult vitamins
Tylenol (adult and children's liquid)
Ibuprofen (adult and children's liquid)
Tums and/or Ranitidine
Robitussin cough syrup
     (plain, both adult and children's)
Delsym cough syrup
 

Antifungal ointment
Antibiotic ointment
Benadryl tabs or liquid
Selsun Blue shampoo
Personal care items
Clean, used sheets (flat, any size)
Suitcases

In addition to our monthly projects, we plan to include specific organizations in our budget.  We will support a needy family during the Christmas season.  At the same time, we will continue to have a Christmas angel tree in the Parish House for families who wish to sponsor a child.  An All Saints' mission trip is planned (more information to come).  If you have suggestions for the monthly projects, contact Mary Wellman or another member of the Outreach Committee.

Thank you for your support!!

EYC/PARENT MEETING
Sunday, October 14, 2007
6 PM

Seeking all volunteers interested in working with the EYC.  We are encouraging all parents of EYC age kids to join us in the parish house for a planning session on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 6 PM.

We have some great ideas for the upcoming year and would like to have all of your input.  We are planning a canoe trip down the Roanoke River from Weldon to Halifax on Saturday, October 26^th.  If anyone, adult or youth, is interested in this trip please contact Vickie Irby, our parish administrator, to sign up..  We will have several canoes available but you may bring either your own watercraft such as a paddleboat, canoe, powerboat, raft or anything that will float. If you are not interested in going down the river with us,  you may observe from the riverbank instead.

Please make every effort to attend this planning session on Sunday, October 14.  Dinner will be provided.  If you are unable to attend but would like to volunteer please call Kelly Singh at 578-6882.  We invite any interested persons to join us, even if you don’t have children in EYC.

Come out and support our youth!!!!