All Saints Messenger 7-20-17

Wheat or weed, that is the question. Well, it's one possible question. Contemporary rhetoric--from casual conversation to "official" speechmaking--suggests that most people consider themselves to be wheat and others to be troublesome weeds. We may even be eager to eradicate the weeds. However, God's farming practices are unusual indeed. Thank God for that, for surely we are all likely someone else's weed on the verge of being uprooted by overeager weeders.

This brings to mind our recent journey to Jerusalem. Within the walls of Old Jerusalem you find a small city divided into four quarters: The Jewish, The Christian, The Muslim & The Armenian. As one moves closer to the center, where these four different communities, culture, people and faith come together you can feel a tension rising. The sights, sounds and smells are much more noticeable as if they are in conflict with all the others. The fact is that they are. Yet, this conflict does not have to be bad...I found it to be a time and place of new sensory and personal growth allowing me to better and more fully understand and appreciate the other.

In appreciation of this new found realization I come to this reading with new and fresh eyes. Our job seems to be to live into the kingdom that reflects God's gracious, if not unusual, farming practices by learning to live in the field in which wheat and weed grow together. The job of discerning who is wheat and who is weed is ultimately not ours anyway. When God determines it is harvest time, God will determine how we all will be gathered. I, for one, am grateful to take something off my "to do" list and to leave the tasks of harvest up to such a gracious God.

God of wheat and weeds, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

See ya Sunday!

Peace

Fr. Gary+

The Fall session of EfM is coming up quickly. EfM is a four year program from The University of the South, Sewanee. It is a wonderful way to study the Bible, history and theology. EfM has two new Mentors, Don Stine and Adam Nygren. If you are interested in joining in the fun, please contact one of these Mentors as soon as possible. The Group

will register at the end of July in order to get books on time. If you have any questions, please contact Don at 704-691-4089 or

Adam at 980-285-0915 .

ANNOUNCEMENTS

* Statements: Quarterly statements are available for pick up after both services this Sunday.

* Last Friday Get Together: A pot luck game night. Bring a dish and be ready to play!!! Food, fellowship, and fun! 6-8 Friday, July 28. We might even find ourselves playing some bingo! For more information see Deacon Cris or Lee Wells.

* Parish Breakfast: Sunday morning breakfast will take place on August 6th. If anyone has a special item they would like to bring, please sign up and let us know. Breakfast starts early ( 9:00 ) and continues until 10:00 . Hopefully we can get more 10:30 people to attend with these expanded hours. It is a great time to relax and visit!

* First Sunday of the month Coffee Hour: We need someone to set up and clean up only for Coffee Hour on Parish Breakfast Sunday. You do not have to provide any food, just set out the food left from breakfast. Please sign up for this on the Coffee Hour sign-up sheet.

* A liturgical change for the summer: We are currently rotating between three alternative Eucharistic prayers written by The Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Liturgy & Music. The three prayers are in booklets placed in each pew. We hope these new prayers, with new images might help open the Eucharist in new and exciting ways for you. The plan is to return to the Prayer Book prayers in the fall. Other minor changes include: a different Gloria, the Contemporary Lord's Prayer (said not sung, also considered by some scholars to be the original prayer of our Lord), new Sanctus & Fraction anthems, and a new Great Amen.

* Food Pantry : The shelves are about empty! Please help us keep our food pantry stocked. If you would like to give a monetary donation, we'd be happy to do the shopping for you.

* Family Promise: Our Family Promise guest will once again be with us starting Sunday August 6th, and will be with us the entire week until Sunday, August 13th. This program is a wonderful opportunity to give families without a place that they can call home, a temporary sanctuary by providing shelter, substance and a bit of compassion. Family Promise is a community program that provides housing and support to homeless families. All Saints is one of the original churches that helped establish this ministry more than ten years ago. We host families in this ministry four times a year at our parish facilities with assistance from the Redeemer Lutheran Church here in Gastonia. There are many ways to support this ministry. During hosting weeks we need parishioners to volunteer for several activities during on that week. This includes helping to unload and load the families' belongings on the Sunday mornings of the week they are with us ( 8:30am - 10:15am) , to greet and engage guests ( 5:00-6:30 pm), to prepare and serve dinner ( 6:30-8:00 pm), to spend the night ( 8:00 pm - 7:30 am), to provide homework and enrichment activities for children ( 5:30-6:30), and to donate items that our guests need (see below). For more information, or to volunteer please contact Marc Dudley at 704-718-4044 or [email protected] . Suggested Donations List: Clothes detergent, toothbrushes and toothpaste, small first aid kits, hair products, soap and/or body wash, suitcases (both used or new), 10, 20, and 30 gallon storage tubs w/ lids, towels and washcloths (both used or new), bed linens (both used or new), family friendly movies or videos, board games, & craft supplies.

* Bible Study: Our next reading of the Wednesday Bible Study group will be The Faith Club, A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew - Three Women Search for Understanding when we complete An Altar in the World. We invite you to join us on Wednesday's at 10 in the Family Life Center for some very interesting discussions.

* Parade of Tables : Saturday, September 23rd from 6 - 8:30PM. This is an outreach event that raises money for our church. It is an elegant evening with friends and includes dinner, a band and an auction. Church members host a table that is decorated in various themes. The table hosts sell tickets for a seat at their table. There are usually 12 to 15 tables and each ticket is $25.00 dollars. This includes appetizers, dinner and desert as well as great music and an auction. We will also have a 50/50 raffle! The evening is very enjoyable and full of fun. Please feel free to contact Lee and Casey Allison if you have any questions. All proceeds go to support our All Saints Outreach Programs. Tickets: $25.00 per person.

* Needed: Monetary donations for lettuce and carrots for the Salvation Army salads on Mondays. Our lettuce in the garden has "gone over to the dark side...bolted". Will be a month or two before the new crop is in. Until then, we need donations for lettuce and carrots. Each week, we use up one large bag of sliced carrots and 6 heads of lettuce. Cost is about $8 a week. Donations are needed to offset this cost. Anyone willing to donate cash or a gift card to the project, please see Linda Klocker, 704-827-3901. Checks should be made out to All Saints, garden fund. Thanks for your generosity. The clients at the Salvation Army really enjoy a fresh salad.

* CAM: CAM needs help sorting through a mountain of bags from the Post Office food drive from May. Any help is appreciated. Short spurts of help ok. I'm going to try and go over for about an hour once a week. If you want info, or want to go with me, give me a call or call CAM directly. From Linda Klocker.

* Diocesan Picnic: Saturday - August 19th, 11am until 3pm at Valle Crucis Conference Center. The diocese will provide hot dogs (regular & veggie) and lemonade, and each parish can bring dishes to share and a dessert for the dessert table. We will have lots of opportunities to play outside, enjoy the beauty of Valle Crucis Conference Center, hike, etc. Please plan to carpool if possible!

* Choir Rehearsal: will resume Sunday August 20th at 9:25 am .

* Children's Christian Formation: Our youth formation committee has been meeting and have decided to place Godly Play in a "Season of Reflection" for the upcoming year. In its place we will be using an Episcopal Church curriculum that is accessible to children and the adults leading it. Presently, we are in need of 10 or more volunteers and a coordinator. There is a sign up sheet in The Family Life Center. At the conclusion of the 2017-2018 year we will assess where we have been with Godly Play and the new curriculum and plan accordingly. If you feel called and/or are interested in this very important ministry please see Fr. Gary.

* Holy Land Trip: https://garyholyland2017.wordpress.com/blog/

* Parish Nurse Ministry will be taking blood pressures after the 8:00 and 10:30 services on the second Sunday of the month . Nurses interested in the parish nurse ministry please contact Cheryl Saylor, MSN.

* Cookbooks: $10 If you don't need a cookbook, but would like to help our Outreach committee reach their budget goal, consider buying a cookbook to donate to our newcomers committee. Any donated cookbooks will be included in the welcome bag we hand out to newcomers.

* Salvation Army Garden: Planting of the garden is underway to provide vegetables for a salad each week or to use in the meals. Charlie Jenkins is in charge of the garden along with a team. We are in need of people/families willing to adopt 1 or 2 plots and do the weeding of those plots. There is a sheet in the Family Life Center for you to put your name on a plot. In case you didn't know, All Saints provides the meal and fresh salad every Monday night at the Salvation Army. The recipients are always very complimentary of the food provided. The vestry representatives for the garden are Jerry Wertz and Linda Klocker.

* Zumba: All Saints will host a Zumba Gold class on Fridays at 9am in the Family Life Center. It will be taught by certified instructor Barbara Mooradian who has been teaching for 6 years. Especially suited to older adults or those with mobility issues or restrictions, Zumba Gold has all of the liveliness and fun of Zumba while being low impact and easier on the body. It can even be done while sitting! Zumba Fitness is fun-filled, energetic, and contagious. You do not have to know how to dance; you just have to enjoy yourself and keep moving! Classes will be $5 each and payable by the month. Come try it out. You will be glad you did. For more info email Barbara at [email protected]

or call 808-281-7172. See you on Friday.

* Adult Christian Formation: We are studying "Great Figures of the New Testament." Our guide is the esteemed Jewish scholar Amy-Jill Levine who teaches at Vanderbilt University. What Ms. Levine brings to the table is a unique Jewish understanding of the New Testament, the culture and people of the day. She will take us on a journey of specific characters: who they are, what they do and how they have been assessed across the centuries. We begin at 9:25 AM. Please join us!

* Sign Up Sheets for coffee hour, altar guild and altar flowers are on the bulletin board in the Family Life Center. Coffee Hour hosting can be as simple as drinks and cookies. Coffee hour is provided to have fellowship with our parish family. Please sign up or call the church office to add your name to the list (704-864-7201).

* Salvation Army Service Schedule: Monday, July 24th - Team #6. (Jerry Wertz, Deloris Stewart & Charlie Jenkins)

* Church Financials: The Vestry wants to make sure that all parishioners are aware that the monthly financial reports are posted on the bulletin boards in The Family Life Center. If you have any concerns or questions please contact Phill Wertz or Fr. Gary. Thank You!

* Why Do You Love All Saints? Who here loves All Saints? Do you want to tell the world why you love being a part of the All Saints family? Please help us spread the word about our congregation by telling your All Saints Story. All Saints Stories will be published on our website: AllSaintsGastonia.org as well as our facebook and twitter pages. To submit your story, go to AllSaintsGastonia.org and click "All Saints Stories" under the Parish Life tab. If you can, please submit a photo with your story.

* Prayer List: Our prayer list grows rapidly. We ask all parishioners to keep the office informed so that our prayer list remains current and manageable.

* Partnership: All Saints has entered into a relationship with the YMCA's Resource Connection Gateway. This relationship enables us to help those in need more rapidly and efficiently while also addressing long-term needs versus only addressing immediate concerns. If you would like more information please see Fr. Gary.

* Salvation Army Serving: If anyone is interested in serving at the Salvation Army on Mon. nights from 5:00 to 6:00, please contact Candy Albergine at 704-868-8691 or email [email protected]. We have a couple of spots open and you will find this ministry is a true blessing to all involved. The schedule is on bulletin board in Family Life Center.

* All Saints Sermons online: Thanks to John Woodward, our sermons are available in audio and video on our website at: www.allsaintsgastonia.org/sermons

* Free Mulch: There are several piles of mulch in the upper parking lot that you are welcome to take. We need to free up some parking spaces in that upper lot. Please do not take the mulch by the shed as that is intended for the garden.

* Church Directory: Available on the table in the Family Life Center.

* Towel Ministry: We are excited and thankful that Vic Cooper and Jim McCarthy have taken over the coordination of our Towel Ministry. Please approach them and let them know your talents and availability when projects arise.

* Building Use Policy: Our buildings are being used more and more and scheduling conflicts are occurring. Effective immediately, all rooms/buildings will be scheduled by the Parish Administrator by the submission of a form which is available at the office and will soon be available on the web site. We appreciate your understanding realizing that this will improve our ability to serve our parishioners and ministries.

* Planned Giving: Programs for Outreach Ministries are an important part of our parish. You can ensure the continuation of these programs by setting up an endowment or including a bequest in your will. The Episcopal Foundation of Western Carolina has set up "The Living Stones Society" to provide Education and training to all clergy and parishioners about setting up a program. For more information see Fr. Gary or call the foundation at 828-225-6656.

* Ministry Opportunities: There are a variety of Ministries available at All Saints including feeding at The Salvation Army, tending the Garden, Family Promise where we take care of those without a home for a week at a time, Altar Guild, Readers, Lectors, Acolytes, Chalicers, and many more. Everyone at All Saints is encouraged to serve in some way. Please let us know what you are interested in and we will put you in touch with the ministry coordinator. You can call the office (704-864-7201), email ([email protected]) or speak to Fr. Gary.

Upcoming Schedule

July 21st: Zumba

July 25th: Pastoral Care

August 6th: Family Promise Arrives

August 15th: Pacesetters (Holy Land Presentation)

August 15th: Vestry

August 19th: Diocesan Picnic

August 20th: Choir Rehearsal Resumes

September 23rd: Parade of Tables

October 29th: Worship & Picnic at Rankin Lake

This Sunday's Scripture Readings

The Collect

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The First Lesson: Genesis 28:10-19a

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place-and I did not know it!" And he was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel.

Psalm 139:1-11, 22-23

1 L ord , you have searched me out and known me; *
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.

2 You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
and are acquainted with all my ways.

3 Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.

4 You press upon me behind and before *
and lay your hand upon me.

5 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

6 Where can I go then from your Spirit? *
where can I flee from your presence?

7 If I climb up to heaven, you are there; *
if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

8 If I take the wings of the morning *
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

9 Even there your hand will lead me *
and your right hand hold me fast.

10 If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, *
and the light around me turn to night,"

11 Darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day; *
darkness and light to you are both alike.

22 Search me out, O God, and know my heart; *
try me and know my restless thoughts.

23 Look well whether there be any wickedness in me *
and lead me in the way that is everlasting.

The Epistle: Romans 8:12-25

Brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

The Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Jesus put before the crowd another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!"

Saint Day / Feast of the Week

Thomas à Kempis

Priest, 1471

The name of Thomas à Kempis is perhaps more widely known than
that of any other medieval Christian writer. The Imitation of Christ,
which he composed or compiled, has been translated into more
languages than any other book except the Holy Scriptures. Millions of
Christians have found in this manual a treasured and constant source
of edification.

His name was Thomas Hammerken, and he was born at Kempen in
the Duchy of Cleves about 1380. He was educated at Deventer by the
Brethren of the Common Life, and joined their order in 1399 at their
house of Mount St. Agnes in Zwolle (in the Low Countries). He took
his vows (those of the Augustinian Canons Regular) there in 1407,
was ordained a priest in 1415, and was made sub-prior in 1425. He
died on July 25, 1471.

The Order of the Brethren of the Common Life was founded by
Gerard Groote (1340-1384) at Deventer. It included both clergy and
lay members who cultivated a biblical piety of a practical rather than
speculative nature, with stress upon the inner life and the practice
of virtues. They supported themselves by copying manuscripts and
teaching. One of their most famous pupils was the humanist Erasmus.
Many have seen in them harbingers of the Reformation; but the
Brethren had little interest in the problems of the institutional Church.
Their spirituality, known as the "New Devotion" (Devotio moderna),
has influenced both Catholic and Protestant traditions of prayer and
meditation.

July 23rd - Martha Richard

July 25th - Connor Kish

July 25th - Eileen Klimkowski

July 26th - Bob Tatlock

July 26th - Flo McCarthy

July 30th - Wayne Butler

July 30th - Alice Braddy

August 1st - Linda Bolin

August 2nd - Michelle Pittillo

August 2nd - Phill Wertz

August 3rd - Scott Witry

August 7th - Pete Laine

August 9th - Joey Brymer

August 9th - Faolin Tilly

August 10th - Jacque Sumner

August 13th - Erin Balco

August 14th - Mary Anne Whitesides

August 31st - Bob Forbes

Please let the office know if we have missed your birthday!

MINISTRY SCHEDULE

2017	July 23	July 30
CHALICE/LECTOR 8:00 AM	Jim McCarthy	Don Stine
CHALICE 10:30 AM	Terry Eckard Jack Gaskey	Cheryl Richard Adam Nygren
LECTOR	David McDowell	Jim Carpenter
ACOLYTES	Cheryl Richard Autumn Jager Lindsey Wells	Lee Wells Zoe Tilly Sophie Martin
GREETER/USHER 8:00 AM	Jerry Wertz	Jim Howard
GREETERS/USHERS 10:30 AM	Marc Dudley Pam Hart	Priscilla & William Graham
ALTAR GUILD	Marc Dudley	Allison Wells
BREAD	July Jay Oden	August Jocelyn King
ALTAR FLOWERS	Inga Kish
COFFEE HOUR	Graham	Erin Balco
MORNINGSIDE 10:30 AM	William Graham Judy Mullins	Pete Laine Morningside Resident
SOUND TECH	Marc Dudley	Terry Eckard
LAY EUCHARISTIC VISITORS	Jim & Flo McCarthy	George Sowersby Susan Stroud
VPOD 8:00 10:30	Linda Klocker Lee Wells	Lee Wells John Woodward

Blessings & Peace,

Fr. Gary+

phone: 704-864-7201

e-mail: [email protected]

web site:
www.allsaintsgastonia.org

Fr. Gary's blog:
http://thevenite.blogspot.com

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