Dear Friends,

Fall has arrived in a whirlwind! We have a lot going on at All Saints already and have much coming up, so please at least skim the following announcements so you are in the know, but I’ll highlight a few events:

Our 2024 Pledge Campaign begins THIS Sunday! Barbie is our inspiration, and we’ll have lots of fun until our Pledge Ingathering Sunday on October 22. See the blurb below and look for a letter in your inbox tomorrow.

There are lots of ways to connect and learn this fall: we’ll have the third and final “Parables at the Annex” next Wednesday (we had over 30 folks this past Wednesday and had a blast!), begin a new format for Episcopal 101 and 102 on October 11, and welcome people (and show off a little) during Open House Chicago.

All Saints loves Chicago: we act for good change with United Power; we support our new migrant neighbors, this time with a coat drive; and we enjoy the arts, especially when our own parishioners are directing plays.

So, check out all that’s happening, but the most important thing is worshipping together on Sunday mornings. So, see you Church!

Faithfully, Suzanne+

2024 Pledge Campaign:

“Humans only have one ending. Ideas live forever.” - Ruth Handler

This Sunday, we are kicking off the annual Pledge Drive at All Saints. This year, Barbie provides our inspiration! “Au courant! How hip!” some might say. Others, perhaps actually hip, might point out: “It’s already on streaming services; you’re two months too late. The leaves are turning, get with the times!”

To our detractors, perhaps you have a point that you won’t find too many Barbie posts these days on Instagram. But remember: everyone looked great in their magenta outfits during our annual all-parish photo, so maybe Greta Gerwig was wise to make this the summer of pink.

More importantly, though, is one of many great messages from Barbie, a quote said lovingly by Barbie’s creator Ruth Handler to her creation, Stereotypical Barbie, which gestures towards the longevity of the core essence and goodness in the idea that underpins the doll.

Although there have been missteps over the last 6 decades of Barbie – unrealistic beauty standards, a doll perpetuating the stereotype that girls can’t do math – at her best, Barbie and friends have convinced generations of children that they should not limit their ambitions to do and be good in the world.

And somewhat similarly, through many challenges and changes, the core idea of All Saints as a place to welcome all as an inclusive, progressive, and thriving community that celebrates our faith underpins all that WE do. 

Over the next few weeks, you will hear important appeals for your financial pledge in 2024, and this call will be woven into activities ranging from filling out a Polaroid board, to hearing from your fellow parishioners, to us jointly creating a story live in service. We hope you will join us.

If you would like to get a head start, please go to the pledge page on the All Saints website to make a pledge for 2024.

Worship and Service at All Saints

Pet Blessing:

Celebrate the Feast of St. Francis with your Furry, Feathered, or Scaly Bestie!

October 8 at 9:00 and 11:00am Services

Pet Blessing is Sunday, October 8, and we’ll celebrate our beloved companions with special treats for humans and animals at both Coffee Hour and Sparkling Sunday. Dr. Steve Larson will be on hand between services for Ask the Vet and we’ll have a Barbie-themed selfie booth so you can take (yet another) picture with your best friend – costumes welcome!

Interested in serving as an Acolyte?

Acolytes - adults and youth ages 9 and up - serve an important role in our 9:00 and 11:00am liturgies. Acolytes help lead our processions in and out of the sanctuary and serve at the altar as we prepare for Holy Communion. 

Final training for YOUTH interested in serving as acolytes will be on Thursday, October 5 from 4:30-6:00pm. 

Please sign up here. Contact Courtney with any questions.

November 2023 Baptism Preparation

Baptism will be offered on our celebration of All Saints' Day, Sunday, November 5, at both the 9:00am and 11:00am services. If you're interested in baptism for yourself or your child, please let us know by visiting this page and filling out a Pre-Baptismal Form.

Preparation sessions are also offered and little ones are absolutely welcome! If you have any questions, please email Suzanne.

Calling all percussionists!

As part of our worship services this fall, we'll be singing a spirited new setting of Glory to God which would only benefit from the addition of percussion. If you'd be willing to play percussion, please either stop by and see Colin after services on the weekend or send him an email.

Formation and Fellowship

Parables at the Annex

FINAL NIGHT: Wednesday, October 4 at 7:00pm

All Saints’ Annex, aka O’Shaughnessy’s Public House

(corner of Ravenswood & Wilson)

What does economic justice look like? What does it mean to love our enemy? This event will dive deeper into the power of storytelling to help answer these questions. We'll look at some of the most provocative parables of Jesus, locating them in the rich history of Jewish storytelling and within the vibrant context of the New Testament gospels.

Our conversations will be led by Olivia Stewart Lester, Assistant Professor of New Testament/Early Christianity at Loyola University Chicago. Her research specializes in prophecy and gender. When she's not teaching, she loves enjoying the Uptown neighborhood with her spouse, 3-year-old daughter, and rambunctious hound dog. 

Join us as we consider what scholar Amy-Jill Levine has called "The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi," and ask what they might have to say to us today.

Episcopal 101 & 102:

Belonging, Becoming, and Believing

Are you new here at All Saints? Been coming for a while, but still have lots of questions about what this “Episcopal” church is all about? Would you like a deeper understanding of our worship and why we do what we do? If so, then Episcopal 101 is for you! If you've already participated in Episcopal 101 but want to go deeper, please join Episcopal 102; if you want a review, then take 101 again!

Our first Episcopal 101 and 102 will meet on Wednesday, October 11 from 7:00-9:00 pm. Both groups will start in the parish hall and will center their conversation on the topic of belonging. How do we experience belonging in our lives and at church? When we say, we belong to a faith community, what does that mean for us? The 101 group will begin with our own backgrounds of church (or no church), take a broad look at the Christian church, and then explore in more detail how the Episcopal church understands its mission and the ways it is organized to fulfill that mission. The 102 group will take a deeper dive into the polity and structure of the Episcopal Church. We will end our time with prayer. 

Sign up here by October 4. The sign up form includes a place to note topics or questions you want to make sure we cover in the class. 

All Saints Youth Group: Fall Plans

All Saints Youth Group meets from 3:30-5:30pm on the Sundays below. We welcome youth ages 12 and older, and you can email [email protected] with any questions.

• October 8: Scavenger Hunt at the Lincoln Park Zoo (more details about transportation and permission forms to follow)
• October 22: Pumpkin Carving
• November 12: History of the Bible
• December 10: Cookie Decorating

Hope to see you at our next meeting! 

All Saints Book Club

Autumn 2023 - Winter 2024

The All Saints Book Club meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30pm on Zoom. If you're not a regular attendee, email Mike Burke at [email protected] for a meeting invite.

This year, the club continues to support the book sanctuary initiative by including at least one banned book in its reading plan. 

The books chosen for this autumn and early winter are:

October 12: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

November 9: The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber

December 14: Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep

January 11, 2024: Marley by Jon Clinch

Outreach and Justice

Friday, October 20, 7:00-11:00pm

Ravenswood Event Center, 4025 N. Ravenswood

Great party, great cause! Come join us at this year’s Spirits of Ravenswood as we raise money for the food pantry and community kitchen that operate out of All Saints.

This party features samples from local breweries and Koval, great food, games, tarot card readings, a prize wheel, music, dancing, an open bar, and great company in a cool neighborhood spot surrounded by vintage cars and classic Chicago neon. Don’t miss it!

Early Bird pricing is good through October 13th. Get your tickets today!

Volunteers Needed: RCS After School Pantry 

RCS' After School Pantry is back for the 2023-24 school year and we are looking for additional volunteer help! Partnering with Brennemann, Goudy, and McCutcheon elementary schools in Uptown, these Thursday afternoon pantries are designed to provide families with kid-friendly staples over the weekend when school meals are not available. So far this school year, we've seen an overwhelming increase in participation, which means we need more help! If you have a flexible schedule and can be available for 60-90 minutes on a Thursday afternoon, sign up here for one or more of the available volunteer spots. Thank you!

Open House Chicago 2023: October 14 & 15

Once again, All Saints has been invited to participate in the Chicago Architecture Center's Open House Chicago.

Our hours will be: Saturday, October 14th from 10:00am to noon and Sunday, October 15h from 12:30 to 5:00pm.

If you'd like to volunteer your time as a greeter or guide, please contact Ann McKenzie by emailing [email protected] or calling 312-952-1470.

Two Plays, Two Directors, Two All Saints’ Parishioners!

Two of our parishioners—Lou Contey and Chad Eric Bergman—are directing plays this fall. Please support theater and our fellow All Sainters!

Lou directed A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller, a Shattered Globe Theatre production. Performances at Theatre Wit (1229 W Belmont) through October 21.

Go HERE for more information. It’s getting great reviews! 

Chad is directing Peter Malmö by Raúl Dorantes and Mark Litwicki, a Colectivo El Polo and Akvavit Theatre Production. Performances at Raven Theatre (6157 N Clark).

Go HERE for more information.

Making Good Trouble:

All Saints’ United Power

and Social Justice Ministry

All Saints has been working with other institutions for social justice through United Power since 2019.  Much of this work is done through public actions with our elected officials to keep pressure on them to support our work.  

This past year, members of All Saints participated in two city-wide actions focused on Mayor Johnson’s support for the Reclaiming Chicago campaign to build 2000 homes on the west (North Lawndale) and south sides of Chicago. All Saints also turned out to support a stabilization housing pilot at the Diplomat Hotel on Lincoln Ave. 

We've also begun the hard work of listening and discerning what issue we need to address for our community here at All Saints. During our first listening session in June, we heard about anger and concern for crime and safety, housing and homelessness, the rise in hatred/discrimination, and the climate. We'll continue this work in the months ahead. 

Read more here about how All Saints got started in this work, the progress and impact being made, what’s next, and how you too can help us change the world as it is.  

Contact: Barbara Manley, 312-953-8802, [email protected].

Spread the love and clean out your closet!

Imagine trekking all the way from Venezuela to Chicago. Imagine the strange and wonderful things you would see and do along the way. Then imagine facing a Chicago winter!

Thousands of new Chicagoans will be experiencing it for the first time and they'll need coats. Like most of us, you probably have perfectly good coats in your closet that you don't use. Maybe you have a pair of snowpants your kid grew out of, a ski jacket left behind by an old roommate who moved to California, or a parka that you're tired of. 

If so, bring them to All Saints and leave them in the waiting area outside Suzanne's office. We'll collect them October 1, October 8, and October 15, then distribute them through Refugee Community Connection. New coats are welcome, too, preferably the puffy type. Costco often has good deals on them.

Also: has an Amazon delivery person abandoned a package carrier in your neighborhood? These are in demand by families moving from shelters to housing. Amazon doesn't want them back, so bring them here!

Questions? Contact Annie Logue.

Church Business

Please consider hosting Coffee Hour!

Back to church school means back to hanging out with your All Saints friends in the parish hall after the 9:00am and before the 11:00am services. Please consider taking a Sunday over the next three months to host Coffee Hour. The sign-up for October, November and December can be found HERE.

The Coffee Hour crew works to make the effort minimal. And the gratitude of your fellow parishioners is an ample reward. Please reach out to Chad Kruse with questions or to review the guide to hosting.  

Banns of Marriage

I publish the Banns of Marriage between Jacqueline Saldaña and Kevin Refior of Chicago. If any of you know just cause why they may not be joined together in Holy Matrimony, you are bidden to declare it. This is the second time of asking.

Did you know you can listen to All Saints sermons on Apple Podcasts?

www.allsaintschicago.org

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