Dear saints,


In my line of work, sometimes it is important to pay attention to the coincidences. In the space of a couple of hours this week, I ended up having three separate conversations about the interior of our beautiful church. One conversation was about a lovely project that intends to develop a digital self-touring guide to our stained-glass windows, altar, organ and so on. Then I found myself chatting about the same windows and light and wood in conjunction with our highly successful jazz concert series, and how sacred space and sound amplify one another. And to cap it all off, as part of a short documentary program being filmed about All Saints', I ended up talking into a camera about the walls of our church being saturated with prayer. 


At a time when there is so much worthy of our attention in the world outside, all of this focused interest on the inside of our church building could easily look like a form of escapism. Yet, this week's conversations have coalesced around the same, critical question that asks: what is the church for? The answer that kept on coming back to me, conversation by conversation, was that the church is called to be a beacon of hope. 


Many church buildings are intentionally luminous. The Tiffany windows that adorn our particular church consist of multiple layers of glass, each complicating the translucence of the other. Sounds a lot like church to me and all of those complicating layers of people and hopes and hurts that make up the Body of Christ and the concerns of the world we each bring into the building and out again.


I witnessed the All Saints' beacon of hope at work this week in all sorts of complexly layered ways. A refugee ministries resettlement team met in our library coming to terms with both the here and now of a sea of need, and the longer-term impact of an impending loss of funding from the federal government. Seven different choirs rehearsed here, including a choir whose music gives voice to the lived experience of gay men in our city in a time when fears abound about the future of marriage equality. Children received bundles of clothes and love - gifts of equal value - offered to families for whom support via numerous federally funded programs remains unnervingly uncertain. Church buildings, city blocks, and people of faith can all be beacons of hope. It comes down to how we choose to use our voices, and what priorities we set, and how widely we open our doors. 


Church is not a place in our lives for us to get what we want. It is a place where we are reached for at a greater depth than that. Here, our calling is to be changed so that the world might be changed. To love our neighbor, we must first know our neighbor. To know our neighbor, we must learn to say their names. And if we are serious about St. Athanasius’s claim that God became human so we might become divine, to speak the name of our neighbor is also to speak the name of God, a name our Jewish siblings teach us is beyond ordinary language. We need church in our lives so we might learn another language that isn't anxious about being right or left, or right or wrong, but simply delights in learning to speak of the God who has always delighted in us.


Be here as a beacon of hope in this place, not because you agree or disagree, but because of what your life has to teach us about God’s 'wonderful words of life'.


Peace,

PS. Did you see our announcement about the All Saints' 2026 Pilgrimage to South Africa?

Photo was taken by Alvin Moore.


Wanting to see more pictures of All Saints'? Keep scrolling down to the Photos of the Week section. And while you're there, you might as well scroll through the whole newsletter! Don't miss learning about the upcoming ways you can give & receive hope at All Saints' through our Worship & Music, Children & Youth, Parish Life, Young Adults, and Service & Justice.

THIS SUNDAY

The Presentation of Our Lord

Sunday, February 2, Church


Weekly Service Times

  • 8:00 a.m. (Traditional Language, No Music) 
  • 9:00 a.m. (Contemporary Language, Choral Music) 
  • 11:15 a.m. (Contemporary Language, Choral Music) 
  • 5:00 p.m. The Welcome Table (Contemporary Language, Jazz Music) 

ANNOUNCEMENT: The live stream of our Sunday worship services is now available at allsaintsatlanta.org/live, facebook.com/AllSaintsATL and on youtube.com/@AllSaintsATL. Feel free to join us via your preferred platform and be sure to give us a follow! 

PARKING: Overflow parking is available at the Bank of America—please enter on North Ave. Please request an additional validation ticket from an usher in the church narthex upon arrival or exit. Use both validation tickets upon exiting the Bank of America parking deck to park free of charge. Be aware, also, that on Sundays in Midtown Atlanta, street parking is free. 

Sunday Morning Breakfast 

Sundays, from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., Ellis Hall 

Join us for a delicious breakfast and fellowship with the saints before Sunday services in Ellis Hall. The cost is $10 for adults and $8 for kids.

School of the Spirit, "Amos: A Prophet for Our Time," with The Rev. Naomi Tutu

Sunday, February 2, from 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., Ellis Hall and Livestream

Join us for the second session of the Sunday morning School of the Spirit course on the relevance of the prophet Amos for our contemporary moment. Amos prophesied in a time like ours, when rich and powerful individuals in ancient Israel were doing very well economically and politically. His words to the children of Israel challenge us, too, as they help us examine our loyalties and reimagine a better world. Don't worry if you didn't come last week! Watch it here.

Jesus on the Front Page 

Sundays, 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., Parish Hall 307 

In this weekly Sunday morning discussion of a current news story, participants reflect on how we are called to live as faithful people. In a nonpartisan reflection, we explore how we might be called to pray differently, think differently or act differently in our private and public lives. We ask where God might be found in this story and learn to name our lament as well as our hope. Email Clark Lemons (clemons@emory.edu) if you have questions! 

Young Adults Brunch & Bible Study

Sunday, February, 12:30 p.m. -2:30 p.m., The Ross Room

Come enjoy a delicious catered meal, lively conversation, and Bible study with the All Saints' Young Adults'. All are invited – whether you're looking to connect for the first time, reconnect after a long while, or keep connections going! Childcare is available upon request. Contact: Tasia Blair, youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org.


The Welcome Table: Sunday Evening Worship Service and Dinner  

Sundays at 5:00 p.m., In the Chapel and Ellis Hall  

Before your busy week begins, the Welcome Table is a place to join with others and find rest and refreshment. Come to the Welcome Table: a service with a jazz trio, singing, communion and prayer (together and in ways that speak to us individually). A community dinner for all participants follows the service. 

Photos of the Week

Last Sunday had an energy about it! The 9:00 a.m. service celebrated our youth with the commissioning of our first Youth Vestry. Plus, the Children's Choir performed. Watch the full service here.

The Children's Choir sang a song from the upcoming Children & Youth Musical, "The Lost Boy: Young Jesus in the Temple". They were so good! Be sure to come next Sunday, February 8, at10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m. in Ellis Hall to see their full musical performance of this inspiring musical based on the story of Luke 2:39-52.

Between services, The Rev. Naomi Tutu led the first session of her two-week School of the Spirit course on "Amos: A Prophet for Our Time". If you missed it, watch it here. All are welcome to join her for the 2nd session, this Sunday 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m. in Ellis Hall.

We look forward to you joining us for upcoming services and events throughout the year. For more information on upcoming events, read this weekly newsletter every Friday or visit allsaintsatlanta.org/calendar.


If you can't join us in-person, you are still a part of our All Saints' community!

Did you know you can watch our services online?

Please visit us at allsaintsatlanta.org/live during service times. We stream to our website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel, so you can join us in whichever way is most convenient for you. You can also view recordings of services and community events at allsaintsatlanta.org/media/video-audio-library/ .

Classes and Groups


  • Novel Theology >> Meets one Wednesday a month on Zoom from 7:00-8:00 p.m.. Click the link above to learn more and register.






View all upcoming events

GIVING

Be In That Number! 


Thank you so much to those who have pledged.


These dollars coming in celebrate the deep generosity

you feel towards All Saints'.

This campaign is not the same without you.


Please share your gifts with a commitment/pledge here now:


Pledge Now

Easiest way: go online allsaintsatlanta.org/give


or email Julie Lockhart, Director of Development, jlockhart@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Thank you so much!

All Saints' offers easy ways to pay your pledge or to make a gift:

Online at allsaintsatlanta.org/give

Mail a check to All Saints’ Church, 634 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30308 Put a check or cash into the offering plate during the services

Text to Give: text AllSaintsAtlanta to 73256

Gift stocks or securities


Our Charles Schwab account is:

“All Saints’ Episcopal Church” 

Account #: 1084-6679 • DTC #: 0164 Code: 40


Stock gifts do NOT come with the donor’s name included so remember to contact Betsey Gibbs at bgibbs@allsaintsatlanta.org, and let her know the stock gift is coming.


Pledge now at allsaintsatlanta.org/give 

WORSHIP & MUSIC

All Saints' Sing-A-Long with Robert Ray

Saturday, February 15, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Church

Join us for a high energy, all ages, and free piano sing-a-long and potluck. Hosted by Music at All Saints and All Sorts' (our All Saints' LGBTQ+ ministry), the amazing Robert Ray from Campagnolos fame will be here. Belt out a classic with an old friend or a new one! It's a potluck. Sign up for the potluck here. Questions? Emailouisam@allsaintsatlanta.org. Make it easy to invite friends & neighbors by sharing the Facebook event!

Carmen Bradford Up Next in Jazz at All Saints' Concert Series

Saturday, February 22, 7:00 p.m., Church

The reigning queen of jazz lovers’ hearts—vocalist Carmen Bradford—will star in our third Jazz at All Saints’ concert on Saturday, February 22, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The winner of a 2024 Grammy, Carmen is considered jazz royalty. You can be sure if it ain’t got that swing, it ain’t got Carmen or her accompanist, pianist Reginald Thomas! Come hear these storied artists for yourself and stay for the insightful Q&A hosted by our own Virginia Schenck and the reception in Ellis Hall. Tickets are $25/adult, $15/student. Get tickets here. Make it easy to invite friends & neighbors by sharing the Facebook event!

ADULT FORMATION

The Journey Bible Study  

Weekly on Mondays, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., on Zoom 

The Journey (Bible Study) continues, led by The Rev. Karen Evans, Parish Priest Associate. We will resume our journey through the Book of Revelation. The only requirements are a Bible and a willingness to learn. Email The Rev. Karen Evans at kevans@allsaintsatlanta.org for additional class information. 

Faithful Advocates 2025 Legislative Preview, Moderated by Caroll Sterne

Tuesday, February, 4, 6:00 p.m., via Zoom 

As we are caught up in what is going on nationally, let us remember to be aware of what is happening closer to us where legislation with direct impact on so many of our ministries and faith communities is passed into law. This legislative preview will consist of an impressive panel moderated by Carroll Sterne, including subject matter experts on legislation likely to come before the State legislature that will impact All Saints’ Core Ministries. Read more about the panel in this month's Faith & Justice e-Newsletter. For the Zoom link, other questions, and to receive updates, please contact Suzanne Wakefield at faithfullocals@gmail.com.

School of the Spirit, "Healing Ableism" with The Rev. Dr. Mary Grace Dupree.

Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30 p.m. –8:30 p.m., via Zoom

Join us for a course about the lessons and wisdom that come from living with a disability, and the way that Scripture calls us to encounter disability in our lives. Taught by the chair of the Bishop’s Task Force on Disability Justice, The Rev. Dr. Dupree’s teaching is informed by her experience living with disability for 32 years and parenting four disabled children. Contact Jenny McBride at jmcbride@allsaintsatlanta.org for more information and a Zoom link.

PARISH LIFE

Wednesday Night Supper

Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Ellis Hall

Join us for Wednesdays @ All Saints' (aka Wednesday Night Supper). Grab a friend to come enjoy a meal while connecting with the community. contact Marcia Mayfield, mmayfield@allsaintsatlanta.org, for more information.

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Weekly Children & Youth Formation



Nursery/Little Saints: Birth-Pre-K, 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., 1st floor of the Pritchett Center


Children’s Church: K-5th Grade, 8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., 2nd floor of the Pritchett Center


Children Formation: K-5th grade — 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., 2nd floor of the Pritchett Center


Youth Formation: 6th-12th grade — 10:20 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., The Attic, 3rd floor of the Pritchett Center


SNL (6th-8th grade) and Y’all Saints’ (9th-12th grade): 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., The Attic, 3rd floor of the Pritchett Center

Weekly Children's Choirs Rehearsals


Cherub Choir: PK-K — 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.


Primary Choir: Grades 1-2 — 4:35 p.m. - 5:10 p.m. 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.


Junior Choir: Grades 3-6 — 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Preparing for the Children’s Musical


Children's Handbells: Taking a break until after the Children’s Musical

Weekly Youth Choirs Rehearsals


Youth Handbells: 4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.


Youth Choir: Away this weekend on their trip to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, TN.


Come sing, grow, and make a joyful noise with us this year! For more information, contact Emily Rebecca Halbert, Director of Youth & Children’s Choirs, at ehalbert@allsaintsatlanta.org.

"The Lost Boy: Young Jesus in the Temple” Children & Youth Musical

Sunday, February 9, 10:20 a.m. – 11:05 a.m., Ellis Hall

Join us for “The Lost Boy: Young Jesus in the Temple,” a musical based on Luke 2:39-52. This moving production tells the story of Mary and Joseph searching for twelve-year old Jesus, only to find him in the temple, full of wisdom and understanding. With its heartfelt message, the musical reminds us that even a perfect child can give his parents anxiety and offers reassurance to anyone who has ever been a parent, a child, or sought to reconnect with their faith. Don’t miss this inspiring performance for the whole parish family! 

Register for 2024-2025 Children & Youth Ministries
Read the latest children's newsletter
Read the latest youth newsletter

YOUNG ADULTS

YA Retreat to Hike Inn 

Saturday, February 8 – 9, Offsite Join us for a peaceful retreat at the Len Foote Hike Inn, nestled in the stunning Amicalola Falls State Park. Experience the beauty of nature, savor homemade meals, and enjoy a tranquil escape. We will carpool from All Saints on February 8 at 10 a.m. and return on February 9 by 4 p.m. Reserve your spot today in Realm! Contact: Tasia Blair at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Young Adult Fellowship Online! 

Are you in your 20s or 30s and interested in fellowship, discipleship and service? Reach out to Tasia Blair at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org to receive our monthly newsletter, get added to the WhatsApp group chat and find out what events we have coming up! 

Read the latest Young Adult newsletter

SERVICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

View all opportunities to serve

Threads Welcomes Families for Shopping 


Threads welcomes families for in-store shopping Thursdays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Interested in volunteering? Contact Marcia Mayfield if you are interested in volunteering; Threads needs you:

threads@allsaintsatlanta.org.


You may purchase items please via the Threads Amazon Wishlist:

bit.ly/ASECThreadDecember2024 

Join a Resettlement Team!


Now that the federal refugee resettlement program has been closed, it is THE time to join one of our four refugee resettlement teams. Each team is 6-10 people who commit to one volunteer act and one ninety-minute reflection meeting per month (with times in either morning or evening!) for three months to help support a refugee family as they transition to their new lives in the US.


The teams offer a profound welcome and hospitality through things like grocery store trips, trips to Threads, trips to the zoo, helping people learn how to use MARTA and laundry facilities, bringing them to dinner at All Saints' and more. Email Louisa Merchant, louisam@allsaintsatlanta.org, to sign up.



February Faith & Justice Newsletter


  • Volunteers Needed for Refugee Settlement
  • Spotlight on the Church of the Common Ground
  • Faithful Advocates Go To The Capitol
  • All Sorts Sponsor Sing-a-long
  • Preview of 2025 Hunger Walk/Run
  • F & J Luncheon Features New Out of Hand Play

Read the latest Faith & Justice newsletter

Share Your Photos! Share Your Expertise!

Did you know that you can submit photographs of All Saints’ events to share with the Communications Team? If you want to make a habit of it, join the Photography Guild! Contact Kathy Powell at communications@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Facebook            Twitter            Instagram            

Connect with us on Realm!

Learn more >> Don't forget to join Realm, our new platform for online giving, directory, and event registration.


Questions? Please contact Betsey Gibbs at bgibbs@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Website

Worship

Giving

Service

Calendar