Dear Friends,

The great feast of Pentecost is upon us! On this day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promises will comfort us, advocate for us, come alongside us, making us into a community, a church, Christ's body on earth.

On this day we hear of the Holy Spirit descending upon the crowds as they are going about the normal business of arriving in Jerusalem for Shavuot, a Jewish holiday celebrating 50 days after Passover and the giving of the law to Moses and also an agricultural festival celebrating the spring harvest. As the crowds are just trying to get to temple to do their duty, the Holy Spirit arrives.

As modern people, it can be hard to imagine the Holy interrupting our day-to-day activities, even ones that are religious in nature. As folks who attend a “Mainline” church, most of us highly rational, we can be suspicious of the ecstatic, the charismatic, and so find it hard to know what to do with such a wild thing! 

But you also may have heard the news that the Church (not this particular church but, well, the whole darned thing, from Presbyterians to Pentecostals, from Episcopalians to Evangelicals) is in trouble, whether due to declining numbers in some churches or other churches embracing toxic ideologies that are anathema to the Gospel. 

We need the Holy Spirit, and one of you reminded me that the Celtic image for the Holy Spirit is no quiet dove but a loud, honking goose urging us into action: “the Spirit who startles us into new life and calls the church to fly together—rather than just waddle along” (from Preach podcast).

Beloved, this is no time for waddling! The Spirit is calling us to deep, thick fellowship and faith with one another and with God and out into the world to be a countersign to the madness of the world. So, come, celebrate the Holy Spirit and prepare to be “goosed” into where God is calling you, us, next!

See you in church!

Faithfully, Suzanne+

P. S. Our first Witness Wednesday was quite powerful, with nine of us gathered at noon in the Federal Plaza to pray for the sins of our federal government and to ask God's mercy upon those who have been disappeared and others who are being harmed by recent government actions. Read more below.

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday!

Pentecost is a major feast of the church, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit. On this day we celebrate the presence of the Holy Spirit within us and among us. Pentecost is one of the four feast days that we celebrate baptism, and we will have two baptisms at 9 am and two at 11 am.

Wear your red (or any other "fire" color)! 



All Saints showed up for the Ordination to the Diaconate of 5 candidates including 2 from All Saints: Director of Music, Colin Collette and parishioner, Bryan Matias. Suzanne preached and many of you attended.

Congratulations Colin and Bryan!

Witness Wednesdays: Pray for Mercy and Justice

Federal Plaza (Jackson and Dearborn)

Noon on Wednesdays

Our first Witness Wednesday gathered 10 people from four churches to pray for those who are being disappeared and deported. We prayed a litany for social justice, including the names of those who are being held unjustly and illegally in the CECOT prison in El Salvador.

We will continue praying for our nation, our government, and for those harmed by government actions for another five Wednesdays, and then decide whether and how to continue.

Please join us if you are able; contact Suzanne or Courtney for more information.

Newcomer Lunch

Sunday, June 22 at 12:30 pm

Are you new to All Saints? Are you interested in meeting other newcomers and learning more about our community? If yes, please join us for our next Newcomers lunch. We’ll gather in the parish hall for a casual luncheon, conversation, and a chance to learn more about All Saints and ways to continue connecting with our community. Please RSVP so we can plan food accordingly.

REGISTER HERE



Questions, please contact Courtney at courtney@allsaintschicago.org

All Saints Book Club

Thursday June 12 at 7:30 pm (Zoom)

Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X



“Extraordinary . . . a brilliant, painful, important book.”—The New York Times

“This book will have a permanent place in the literature of the Afro-American struggle.”—I. F. Stone

The All Saint’s Book Club meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 PM on Zoom. If you are not a regular attendee, contact Mike Burke mebcat@gmail.com for the meeting invite.

Caregiver Connections

Monday, June 16 at 7:00 pm

The next meeting of Caregiver Connections, our monthly support group for caregivers, will be held on Monday, June 16 in the Reading Room. If you've thought about attending this group but haven't yet been able to make it, please join us. All are welcome! Reach out to Kelly McNees (kellymcnees@gmail.com) with any questions.



Blessing new home owners on May 18^th

HALLELUIAH!

United Power / Social Justice News

We have good news to celebrate! The IL State Budget passed late Saturday night (5/31) with funding for United Power’s Reclaiming Chicago initiative!

• $10 million in new funds;
• Re-appropriation of remaining unspent funds (approx. $3.3 million) from an original grant;
• AND small capital grants of $250,000 and $1 million for solar panels.



All Saints, you have been a part of this work for the last 5 years! You have persisted in your faith and commitment to show up with and for our neighbors across Chicago who have long been neglected and ignored.  Your showing up has made all the difference! Of course, there is always more: 

Sunday, June 22, 10:15 AM, All Saints Reading Room

United Power / Social Justice Information Session

Come learn more, hear stories, ask questions, and share ideas.

SAVE THE DATE! Sunday, July 27, 4 PM

UNITED POWER ACTION

Celebrate 5 years of persistent work with our key supporters.

Experience the impact of this work on individuals and neighborhoods.

Push the City to increase its commitment and move faster.

VOLUNTEER AT RAVENSWOOD COMMUNITY SERVICES (RCS)

TUESDAYS:

Click to Volunteer Hub! 

RCS is looking for volunteers to join

the Tuesday Delivery Crew. 

Every Tuesday between 12:30-2pm volunteers unload A LOT OF FOOD from pallets on the sidewalk to the Parish Hall for distribution. You should feel comfortable lifting 30-50 lbs and going up and down stairs. Those interested should reach out to Parker at parker@ravenswoodcommunityservices.org.

Meditative Mondays at All Saints

Monday, June 9 | 6:00 - 7:00 pm

This Monday join Access Contemporary Music as they combine the meditation goal of disconnecting from daily life with a performance of John Cage’s masterpiece Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano.

Heavily inspired by Indian philosophy, this rarely-performed gem features the piano as you’ve never heard it before.

Guided Meditation by Ashantis Jones of Katie Bellamy & Associates

Shi-An Costello – piano

MORE INFO AND $20 FEE

Pride Parade on June 29

Opportunities for All Saints to watch or participate

Chicago’s Annual Pride Parade steps off on Sunday, June 29 at 11 AM. Our friends at St Peter’s, 617 W. Belmont, have invited us to join them for their Sunday Eucharist at 10 AM and a chance to watch the parade from their front steps and ramp as the participants march down Belmont to Broadway. St Peter’s will hand out water to parade watchers and invite folks to come into the church to talk or rest. Plus there is a restroom available (all great things on Pride Sunday!). Public transportation is the best way to get there and if you take the red/brown line stop, be sure to exit on the south side of Belmont.

If you’re up for marching in the parade, we will again join the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches contingent. If you are interested in marching, let Courtney know as soon as possible. Space is limited as the Coalition is limited to 150 marchers.

True Stories for the Stage 

Storytelling Workshop meeting for 7 weeks at All Saints

Thursday nights: 6:00 - 9:00 pm

June 12 - July 31

(workshop has limited space, with a max of just 7 participants)



Cost is $360 for the full session, with a sliding scale for anyone who needs. 

Is there a true story you’ve been longing to tell… or more than one?! Is there a solo show, a stand-up set, or an essay that’s been tugging on your sleeve? Telling your story live, in a room full of people who care about community, is fun… and it matters! A well-told true story helps listeners feel less alone, brings tellers an exhilarating sense of accomplishment, and lets everyone involved feel more connected during divisive times.

If you want expert coaching to craft and perform your story with confidence, humor, and authentic presence, join us this summer on Thursday evenings at All Saints where a small, supportive cohort of kind, wise, creative souls will bring true stories to the stage.  The final evening we meet, July 31st, is a live story show & potluck dinner with an opportunity to share selected stories. 

To register, or with questions, email janna@herechicago.org. 

Facilitator Janna Sobel is the co-founder of the Live Storytelling programs at The Second City and Chicago Dramatists, and a public speaking coach for TED Talkers, Moth Grand Slam winners, keynote speakers, and stand-up comics. Janna is Host and Producer of the beloved, long running story show Here Chicago, and the writing workshop Stories from Here. An award-winning live storyteller herself, Janna also teaches Storytelling in places like The Booth School of Business, the IDEA Center at Notre Dame, and The Chicago Cultural Center. She loves supporting essayists, memoirists, ministers, teachers, organizers and public speakers of all stripes in putting words to what matters to them. 

Parishioner Gina Shropshire is in the play!

TICKETS HERE

The next vestry meeting will be on Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00pm. Vestry meetings are open to parishioners. To see the most current Vestry Minutes click here.

Facebook Livestream Team at the 11:00am Service

Audio: Kuo Tye

Camera: June Coyne

www.allsaintschicago.org

Having trouble viewing? Open newsletter in web browser