Dear Friends,

Here we are on the eve of the eve of Christmas, plunged into freezing cold, many travel plans canceled, wondering now if we’ll get our shopping finished and gifts wrapped, worried about how things will go with family this year, yet even in the midst of worry and scrambling, even here we celebrate, we rejoice! 

Whether you come to one of our services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or whether you are away with friends and family in another city, we will all celebrate the miracle that, long ago, God chose to join us in our lives. This is an ancient story, a story so often told that we might no longer feel wonder at it. But what a wonder it is! God chose to join us—here!—in our messy lives, in their dailiness and beauty, in our sorrow and the joy, our anger and peace, promising with that moment that we are never alone, that we can be certain that God understands our lives and dignifies each moment because it is God-breathed and God-known. 

This is a Holy Time. It can be easy to be distracted now, by the busyness of the season, by things not turning out the way we had hoped. When I am feeling overwhelmed in this season, I remember the great wisdom of A Charlie Brown Christmas. After all his plans go awry, Charlie Brown cries out: “Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” And then Linus—he who always carries his security blanket—tells the Christmas story that we hear each year. 

The lights go down, the spotlight shines on Linus as he tells the story from the Gospel of Luke: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not:” 

Then Linus DROPS his security blanket, no longer in need of it, and continues, "for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'" 

After proclaiming that miraculous story, Linus says, simply, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

Whether celebrating on your own or surrounded by loved ones, I hope you know the glory of God, that God has joined us for love of us, for love of YOU. Fear not. That’s what Christmas is all about. 

Merry Christmas,

Suzanne+

Christmas at All Saints…

Saturday, December 24

Children's Candlelight Christmas Eve Eucharist (4:30pm)

Carols (10:30pm)/Festival Candlelight Christmas Eve Eucharist (11:00pm)

Sunday, December 25

Christmas Day Eucharist (10:00am)

Last weekend was a packed, fabulous time at All Saints! 

Huge thanks to all who offered their time, special skills (from playing an instrument to script writing, from wrangling, teaching or directing children to acting, from singing to reading, from hanging garlands to hauling boxes of Christmas decoration, and lots, lots more), and good humor to help us pull everything together to have a joyful weekend. Onwards to Christmas!

Please note that the All Saints office will be closed after Christmas. We'll all be back at our desks on Tuesday, January 3. If you have a pastoral emergency, such as a death or hospitalization, contact Courtney at 312-318-3652.

Pledges and giving

Thank you for your generosity to All Saints this year! In order for a gift to be credited to 2022, we need to receive it no later than end of day on Saturday, December 31. 

Questions? Contact Edward.

If you're interested in serving All Saints as a member of our vestry or a diocesan representative, please apply online by January 15, 2023!

If you'd like to find out more about what the Vestry is and how it works, we'll be hosting a Vestry Information Coffee Hour at 10:00am on January 8.

Save the Date: Bagels & Budget: Sunday, January 15 at 10 am.

Join us for nosh and numbers as our treasurer Margaret Ferguson gives an overview of our the proposed 2023 budget. Ask questions, offer suggestions, and get informed for the Annual Meeting when we will receive the final budget passed by Vestry.

Basic Christianity:

Wednesdays, January 11, 18, 25, and February 1 at 7:00pm

Following Christ is about trusting in God’s presence in the world and in our lives in amazing ways. This class will look at the basic concepts of Christianity and what they mean for our lives: Creation, Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Life in Christ, and the end times. The Body of Christ. $20 for refreshments and materials. Scholarships available; talk to Suzanne.

Sign up HERE.

Read about all of the courses HERE.

Back to Basics is a series of courses that give us a foundation for the faith we live together at All Saints. It’s not indoctrination, but a chance to roll up our sleeves, learn, discuss, and apply the core pieces of who we are as Christians and Episcopalians. Classes are offered Wednesday evenings in the Parish Hall with light refreshments. There is a fee of $20 per person for each course to cover refreshments and materials.

Considering Baptism, Re-affirming your Baptismal Vows, or Confirmation? These classes are for you!

These classes are important and as such we ask that you commit to attend all the sessions offered within each module. If you are unable to attend, you’ll have a chance again, as the courses will be offered in an ongoing rotation. 

We'll offer Basic Christianity in January, Basic Discipleship during Lent, Basic Anglicanism in Eastertide, and Basic Bible in the fall.

Children's Epiphany Celebration

Saturday, January 7

from 2:30-5:30pm 

Children ages 6-12 are invited to a celebration of Epiphany, the day when we remember the arrival of the Magi.

Beginning in the parish hall at 2:30, the afternoon will include reflections on prophecies of the coming Messiah as well as Gospel readings telling of the birth of Christ, with candle decorating, singing, and simple crafts to reflect on the season.  

During our time together, older children (9-12 years old) will spend time preparing for the celebration by creating a candlelit labyrinth of greenery on the parish hall floor to represent the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem.

Parents and others interested are invited to join the children at 4:45pm to take part in this celebration of the end of the Christmas season.

If your child would like to attend or participate, RSVP to Polly Tangora (773-878-7118 or [email protected]) by Wednesday, January 4 so that we can plan for materials.   We may not be able to accept reservations for more than 20 children, so please call to reserve as soon as possible. Friends and neighbors are welcome to join us. 

North Lawndale Update

All Saints Trouble Makers, come hear an update on our efforts to build 2,000 homes. We've made a lot of progress in 2022, but there's so much more we want to accomplish! 

Richard Townsell from North Lawndale will be joining us in the parish hall on Sunday, January 22 at 10:00 am. Join us for this important update and get inspired to continue making Good Trouble in 2023!

Contact: Barbara Manley at [email protected] or 312-953–8802.

Food donation needed for RCS After School Pantries

On the first and second Thursdays of each month, Ravenswood Community Services distributes a variety of grocery items from the dismissal doors of Goudy, McCutcheon, and Brenneman Elementary Schools. 

The program is seeking donations of food items to stock the pantry for the upcoming months.  Specific items are needed - canned pasta sauce, plastic jars of peanut butter, kid friendly cereal, and cans of chicken noodle soup.  Any brand of these items is acceptable, however, please do not donate any item in a glass jar. 

How to help:

● You may purchase any of these items and bring them to church where we will have collection boxes just inside the front doors.  

● You can purchase any of the items using the links below and ship them directly to Ravenswood Community Services, 4550 N. Hermitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60640.

Canned pasta sauce

Plastic jars of peanut butter

Kid friendly cereal

Cans of chicken noodle soup

● Or you can donate directly to RCS here.

Any way that you choose to give will make a difference for the families we serve. And if you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, you can learn more here or email Parker Callahan.

Please consider hosting Coffee Hour!

Coffee Hour has settled into a rhythm again with all the incredible hosts we've had over the past several weeks. Thank you all! 

If you're interested in hosting, we've got a coffee hour guide to make your job easier. For the foreseeable future, we're unable to use the sanitizer, but have kept waste low by bringing tumblers from home and using compostable coffee cups.

Please click here to access the sign-up to host coffee hour during the months of January, February, and March. The clipboard will also be circulated this weekend.

Thank you all for making Coffee Hour more sustainable!

All Saints Book Club

The All Saints Book Club continues to meet on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 PM on Zoom. If you are not a regular attendee, email Mike Burke at [email protected] for a meeting invite.

In addition, we are now supporting the book sanctuary initiative. We'll include at least one banned book each year in our reading plan starting in 2023. 

Our current schedule moving forward is:

January 12, 2023:

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson