It’s that time of the year again.  Soon you will be receiving a letter encouraging you to think about the fires from the Holy Spirit that light up our lives in the church.  I would like for you to think about the fires that come from worship and fellowship at All Saints’.  Then we can celebrate our fires with a pledge.

When we consider how much to pledge, the Episcopal Church teaches that the starting point is the tithe.  This is the biblical call to return to God through the religious establishment, one tenth (10%) of our earnings or income.  The Episcopal Church passed a resolution at the 1982 General convention: “The tithe is the minimum standard of giving by Episcopalians for God’s work.”  Teach it, and it will make a difference in your lives.

On Sundays we pass the collection plate and give our offerings.  The question we all need to answer for ourselves and our families is: How much should we give out of all that has been given to us?

God is the source of all things.  God calls us to be accountable, as any steward is accountable, for all the things that God has given us.  We are accountable for 100 percent of all that we have in our possession.  That means all of our time, our talents or gifts and our money.  Tithing helps us to manage better that 100 percent.  To be able to tithe absolutely requires that we learn to manage all that we have and all that we are.  Every one of us can learn about money, about ourselves, about God as we grow in our ability to be good stewards of everything that God has given us.

We will be sending out envelopes for your consideration later this month.  It is important for us to establish a budget as early as we can.  By doing this, we plan on effective management at All Saints’, and we can participate in vital ministries such as Outreach, Missions, Youth, Music and Worship on a larger scale.  Please pray about it, read about it and become the stewards that God wants us to be.  I know that we offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving on a daily basis, so let’s continue to reflect on spreading the Gospel in the Kingdom of God on a larger scale by tithing on a monthly or yearly basis.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Margie

I would like to talk with you about Vestry elections.  As I have said in the past the ministry of Vestry is as important to All Saints’ as Outreach, ECW, and all other ministries at the church.  The Vestry gives individual church members the opportunity to serve & help shape the direction of All Saints’.  One of the most important duties of a Vestry member is to evaluate and discuss with other members the direction to which available funds making up our annual budget will be appropriated. To qualify for a Vestry position you must be 16 years of age and a member of All Saints’ Church in good standing.  If you would like to consider this important and vital ministry please send a letter with your intention to run, along with a short biography, so we may include that information to all our members through future Messengers.  Our election is held annually the second Sunday in January and we will be electing four new members at that time.  Please contact me, any member of the Vestry, or our Parish office if you have any questions.

Our Every Member Canvass will commence the first week in October and run through Thanksgiving week ending November 30th.  Marvin and Sadie Carol Ward have graciously accepted to serve as Co-Chairpersons for the Every Member Canvass.  You will receive a pledge card in the near future and the Vestry would like to thank you for your generosity and timeliness in returning the card.

One recent discussion of the Vestry was about our Columbarium and the need for additional niches because all current spaces have been purchased.  The Vestry has approved the construction of twenty-four additional spaces.  The construction will take place this November and these additional niches will be available now for purchase.  The cost for one niche is $1000 and will hold two urns.  If you have any interest or would like additional information please contact the Parish office.

Our thanks to all of you for your support and please let us know if you have any concerns.

Prayerfully,
Bob

The Episcopal Church jealously restricts the music that can be used in its worship, and this is at least in part because of the specific liturgical themes in each service.  These themes are set by a Lectionary of readings that reflect the meanings of the seasons of the church year and focus on specific lessons.

The use of a Lectionary comes down from the earliest days of the Church and is a holdover from Jewish traditions.  The first codification of the Lectionary was about the time of the legalization of Christianity and the early councils in the 4th Century.  In the recent past, we have used the same Lectionary as the Catholic church, the most recent one being introduced in 1969 after Vatican II.  But now, with some exceptions, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians and Methodists have adopted the Revised Common Lectionary, which has changed some of the readings that were not as relevant for modern times for other readings that have more resonance for today’s preachers and listeners.  This ecumenism means that most mainline Protestant churches are participating in the same readings on a given Sunday.

The Lectionary goes through three year cycles focusing on specific gospels—primarily Matthew, which was originally directed toward the Jews, in Year A (which we are currently winding up), Luke, directed toward the Greeks and Romans, in Year C, and Mark with some of John in Year B (Mark, being the basis for Matthew and Luke, is shorter than the other two synoptic Gospels).  The rest of John, more preaching than storytelling in nature, is read piecemeal during Christmastide, Lent and Eastertide each year.

Every week that we have a Eucharistic service, there are subtle differences in the service.  If you look at the opening Collect, the Preface before the Great Thanksgiving, the Old Testament reading, the Psalm, the New Testament reading (usually from an Epistle), and the Gospel for a given day, you will find that they are always different and that there is always an over-arching theme running through them, usually based in the Gospel reading, that is the theme for the whole service.  The other readings should provide context for the Gospel and the readings as a whole should provide a structure for the preaching of the Word.

The only other parts that are left to our jurisdiction are music—hymns, anthems, and voluntaries—and these choices should also follow this over-arching theme.  This is especially critical in the penitential and festival seasons of the year from All Saints’ Day through the first two Sundays of Pentecost, ending with Trinity Sunday, when the readings have a more specific meaning.  It is during these Sundays that I might introduce a hymn that we might not otherwise sing because it is less familiar or not as melodic as some others we favor because the words are of primary importance, especially for the Sequence hymn (the hymn before the Gospel is read).

During the summer months and into the fall, which Anglicans loosely call “Ordinary Time,” the readings tend to be more generic, usually centering around Christ’s ministries as told through the various Gospels as we go through the three Lectionary years.  During this time the hymns and anthems selected may be more general.  Therefore the hymns we sing in the summer tend to be “old favorites” that became popular in the Evangelical tradition.

In the Evangelical tradition, the text for the sermon is left to the devices of the preacher who may simply extemporize on any subject he sees fit, but this freedom is often oddly constricting.  Over a course of 52 Sundays, an Evangelical church is not compelled to explore areas of scripture that challenge it, and unless the preacher is exceptionally skilled or inspired, Evangelical sermons can sound very much the same from week to week.  Music in the Evangelical tradition is similarly limited.  Because the sermon is the focal point of the service and the sermon topic is subject to the whim of the preacher, the music must be general enough to address the theme of the sermon, for example: faith, grace, redemption, salvation, or mission (Note that the “General Hymns” in our Hymnal are grouped along similar lines).

The Episcopal Church has straddled the line between Liturgical and Evangelical traditions in its history, and we will explore those traditions more as we look at the wide variety of music in our Hymnal.

Next: How Did Those Hymns Get Into Our Hymnal?

Saints’-On-Wheels  Tour Schedule

Saints’-On-Wheels is a new ministry at All Saints’ which provides opportunities for church members and friends to explore God’s creation….the interesting, the beautiful, the amazing world around us… with fun and fellowship. We visited the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in September and saw the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, which was very interesting.  Val and Tony Short are coordinating these trips in the church van.  To register, call Vickie in the church office at 537-3610.  Cost per trip will be $10 to cover the cost of gas.  Meals, drinks, admission fees, and other personal purchases will cost extra. Parents must accompany their children.  Please sign up for one or all of the following trips….

Sunday, October 5  Outdoor Exhibit of Henderson Folk Artist Ruth Russell Williams

Ruth Russell Williams was born and raised in rural North Carolina. Her family worked as sharecroppers, and her grandmother worked for large plantation owners. In her early forties, following the raising of four children and the establishment of a successful business, she started painting... in her words, "to tell my life story." Now an internationally recognized American Folk Artist, Mrs. Williams continues to paint her memories of her past.  Join us for this interesting exhibition in Mrs. Williams’ own front yard!  Check out her work at this website:

http://www.ruthsart.com/

*Bring money for lunch or bring a bag lunch and drink.

*Departure time from the church parking lot will be approximately 12:30 p.m.

 Saturday, October 25 (tentative) The Winery at Iron Gate Farm, Mebane, NC

Don’t miss this opportunity to tour one of North Carolina’s very own wineries!  We’ll have a chance to taste a variety of wines, tour the facility, and visit their gift shop.  Visit their website for more information:

http://www.irongatevineyards.com/2008fliwcawards.html

*Bring money for lunch and wine!

* Departure time from the church parking lot will be 10 a.m.  We’ll return by 6 p.m.

  Tuesday, November 11  Southern Supreme Fruitcake Factory, Bear Creek, NC

Travel with us to one of North Carolina’s best kept secrets, the showroom of Southern Supreme.  They make the best fruitcake we’ve ever tasted and we don’t even like fruit cake!  It should actually be called “nut” cake because it has very little fruit and mostly pecans and walnuts. They make lots of other sweet treats that are available for purchase just in time for your holiday shopping. Check out their website:

http://www.southernsupreme.com

*Bring money for lunch and purchases.

*Departure time from the church parking lot will be 9 a.m. We will return by 5 p.m.

   Sunday, December 7   Magical Mystery Tour of Lights, Roanoke Rapids, NC

There’s nothing that can get you into the spirit of the holidays like a ride around town to see the Christmas lights! We’ll meet at the Parish House at 7 p.m. for wine and cheese and a tour briefing. Space is limited so please call Vickie at the church office to reserve your seat for this final trip of the year.  There’s no charge since Santa (Tony) will cover the costs of this trip.

THE CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST AND BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5 AT 9 AM IN THE DUNN GARDEN
Please bring Pet supplies to be given to the local Humane Society.

One of my very first Episcopal Church services ever involved a llama.  It was the annual celebration of the Blessing of the Animals at St. Alban’s in Davidson, my college town, and I had no idea what I had walked into.  The Episcopalian friend whom I had followed to church the preceding few Sundays neglected to mention that we would be outside, in a field, surrounded by pets and farm animals, so I was not prepared for the llama.  Having grown up near farmland, I knew that llamas are reputed to be bad-tempered animals who like to spit.  Given my proximity to said furry expectorator, I spent the service keeping one eye on the priest and one eye on the llama.  I cannot say that I felt particularly enlightened or centered after that service—I’m serious about how worrisome and distracting I found that llama—but it was certainly a memorable experience.  I admit that I left the church that Sunday morning thinking, “These people are crazy,” but the Blessing of the Animals has since become one of my favorite celebrations of the church year, behind only Holy Week and Christmas.

Aside from the fact that a large numbers of cats and dogs in the same place always makes me smile, I love the Blessing of the Animals because it acknowledges an essential part of God’s Creation.  When God promises the renewal of Creation, He promises a new Heaven and a new Earth.  I think it is easy for us, in our very human-centered world, to forget that we are not the only creatures whom God loves.  When He renews His Creation, He will renew all of Creation, the animals included.  I think the answer to the age-old question of whether or not animals make it to Heaven is a resounding “Yes” because, as a part of Creation, they will be with us when the new Creation begins.

I am glad that our animals will be there because, to me, domesticated animals are the most perfect example of unconditional love that we encounter in our daily lives.  One of my college professors made the point well when, to reassure the class after a particularly rough test, he reminded us, “Dogs will still wag their tails when they see you, and cats will still purr when you pet them.”  Regardless of what happens—our failures, the actions of which we are not proud, our pettiness, and our lapses in judgment—our animals ignore everything except for their devotion to us.

Right now, one of the best parts of my life is the black Labrador retriever who lives in a fenced-in yard across the alley from my roommates and me.  The first few times we walked by, he would bark, wag his tail noncommittally, and watch us from a few feet behind the fence.  Now, as soon as we emerge from behind the bushes that line our alley, he runs to the gate and either sticks his nose out or jumps up and balance with his paws on the fence so we can pet him.  My roommates and I make it a point as soon as we get home from work every day to pet him.  Regardless of how ridiculous and disrespectful our students have been that day or how badly we’ve bombed in the classroom, “our” dog is always happy to see us and greets us with love.  The unconditional love of a pet is, I believe, a reminder of the far greater love that Christ has for each of us, the love that ignores the sin and the self-doubt and covers us with grace instead.

The other friendly dog in our alley teaches a different lesson.  This dog—a mutt, I think—is dirty and cross-eyed and has scabby, painful-looking ears.  She lives in a dirt yard and, unlike our other dog, does not have a fancy doghouse to shelter her from the rain.  If any dog has a right to be spiteful, it is this one.  At first my roommates and I thought she was a mean animal because her bark is very aggressive.  When we finally approached the fence after a month of ignoring her as we walked by on the way to visit our other dog, our cross-eyed dog jumped against a nearby tree and reached her head up to be petted.  To me, she is a reminder that Jesus commands us to love unconditionally, despite scabby ears, dirty bodies, bad tempers, bad days, broken relationships, preconceived notions, misperceptions, stress, anger, and old wounds.  Because they are constant reminders that humans, despite our chosen status, still lose sight of Christ’s promise and our own obligations, I am glad that we take a day to celebrate and bless our animals.  I think it would be crazy not to. By—Summerlee Walter

End of Life Issues:
Death and Dying, Grief and Loss

  

Sunday, October 26, 2008
Lunch — 4 PM         Cost $10 per person
Sponsored by Hockaday Funeral Home

One of the most taboo topics for people to discuss or think about is death and dying.   We will talk with each other about “Headline News” and the hot news story of the day, or the war in Iraq and how many American soldiers were killed in a day, but we do not want to talk about death and dying and our own mortality.

Because death and dying and end of life issues are unpopular topics to discuss or think about, when we are faced with making decisions concerning these issues, many of us become overwhelmed with emotion and make decisions when we are at our most vulnerable phase of grief.

On Sunday, October 26 we will have lunch at 12:15 followed by this very informative workshop which will be led by Pat Davis, LPC, LMFT, NBCC

This workshop will address issues such as grief and loss:

· What is the difference between grief and mourning.

· Dealing with loss, what do we consider to be a loss and how do we deal with them.

· End of life issues:  Living Wills, Advanced Medical Directives, Power of Attorney, Wills.

· What are they? What is the importance of each one?

· Funeral planning:

A. What type of funeral do I want?

B. Do I want a church service?

C. Do I want a traditional burial with a casket in a cemetery plot or do I want to be cremated?

Please plan to attend this workshop and invite your friends, family and neighbors.  We have invited First Presbyterian Church members to join us.  We would appreciate a head count if possible to know how much food to prepare.  RSVP to the parish office by Monday, October 20.  Cost is $10 per person.

 
This workshop is sponsored by Hockaday Funeral Home.

DAUGHTERS OF THE KING

There is still time to sign up for this program.  The Order of the Daughters of the King is organized as a religious order.  Each daughter takes a lifetime vow to live by the Rule of Order.  Our Rule of Life requires a spiritual discipline of daily prayer, service and evangelism.  Because of our vow, we refer to ourselves as an order, not an organization.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, our vision as Daughters of the King is to know Jesus Christ, to make Him known to others, and become reflections of God’s love throughout the world. The mission of the Order is the extension of Christ’s kingdom through prayer, service and evangelism.

There will be an eight week study course in preparation for joining the Order.  This will begin on Sunday, October 19 at 3 pm in the Parish House.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.

Frances Jones
534.0911

FUTURE PLANS, ANNOUNCMENTS
AND UPCOMING EVENTS

· The Bishop is coming! NOTE DATE CHANGE!! Bishop Chip Marble will be here on November 9. Lunch afterward.  Listen for more information on an Inquirer’s Class so we can have confirmation when the Bishop visits.

· Bible Study: Living the Questions will continue on Wednesday evenings starting in November.   This is not a traditional Bible Study.  This Bible Study explores and challenges the different traditions and ways of looking at Scripture.  This Bible study will be led by Margie.  We will also offer a more traditional Bible Study on the parables of Jesus on Thursday evenings, (check with Summerlee) this will be led by Summerlee Walter.

· Youth!!!  We need kids and parents.  Let Summerlee or Margie hear from you.

· Thanks to everyone that made the Acolyte Sunday a wonderful experience