Dear Friends, 

I write this letter in the wake of the death of Queen Elizabeth, after watching the news coverage of the reaction in Britain and around the world, and I am surprisingly sad and moved.

I am no lover of monarchy, and the past few decades certainly revealed that the royal family has all the same problems as any family, and, yet, the Queen captured the imagination of generations of people all around the globe. I admired her dogged devotion to duty and her willingness to shoulder the heavy mantle of a global role that, in the end, has little political power but carries enormous cultural weight. I admired even more her quiet but persistent faithfulness, for the Queen was no mere figurehead as the Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England; rather, she was a believer who prayed and struggled with her faith, attended church regularly, and continually offered hope and encouragement to her people. 

In many ways, she is the symbol of the Church of England and of Anglicanism worldwide, more recognizably certainly than the Archbishop of Canterbury. And, so, we as Episcopalians mourn, too. And, yet, the traditional proclamation after the death of a monarch--"The Queen is dead. Long live the King."--was made after Elizabeth's death, reminding us that the institution is larger than the individual. Even now as Britain and the Church of England plan for the official mourning and funeral for the Queen, they are also interspersing the days with prayers for and celebration of King Charles III.

Somehow, that is a comfort and a reminder that life continues here on earth even as individuals, those we love but see no longer, are now resting eternally with God. Even in the midst of death, there is much in life to celebrate; we often find that joy and sorrow are so joined that we cannot have one without the other. 

Tomorrow, at our Celebration, our Renewal of Ministry with the Welcoming of a New Rector, may there be such joy to strengthen us as we walk into the future together.

Faithfully, Suzanne+

TOMORROW! Renewal of Ministry & Welcoming of new Rector!

Celebrate our one-year anniversary as parish and priest and our All Saints' community at our service on Saturday at 2:30 pm, followed by a party outside with tea-time fare, great music, bubbles, and the Hermitage block party, complete with bouncy house!

Some Notes for Saturday:

• Parking: no parking on Hermitage from Wilson to Sunnyside due to the block party. Come early--Ravenswood should have spots!
• Childcare: we were unable to secure childcare, but children are warmly welcomed in the service.
• Masks: optional in the service.
• Livestream: on Facebook.

New to All Saints? Ready to throw your lot in with us?

Participate in

Companions on the Journey:

A Time of Welcome

Sunday, September 11!

If you've been coming to All Saints and think this is the place where you want to grow in faith through worship, fellowship, and service, consider participating in this Time of Welcome on Sunday, September 11 at either the 9:00am or 11:00am service. 

During the service, we'll recognize you and ask if you're willing to commit to All Saints for a time, the congregation will commit to walking with you, and then we’ll say a brief prayer. Though this is not necessary to be a member at All Saints, to participate, or be involved, it's a nice way to mark your next step at All Saints.

Fill out this form if you plan to join us that day!

All Saints Youth Group Pizza and Sundae Bar

Sept 11, 3:30-5:30pm

Let’s start the year with games, food, and discussion of what we want to do. All youth ages 7th grade (or 12 years old) through 12th grade are welcome. Bring a friend. Parents are invited to join in for some ice cream at 5:20pm. 

Please contact Liz Bartels with your RSVP and any questions (RSVP is strongly encouraged but not required).

Youth Group meets on the second and fourth Sunday of the month from 3:30-5:30pm. We plan to meet in the courtyard and later, as the weather turns, the Parish Hall. Dates for fall are: 

• September 11
• September 25 
• October 9
• October 23 (Pumpkin Carving Party)
• November 13
• December 11 (Christmas Party)

Fall Finance Fun!

Stewards of 4550

Ever wonder how we got where we are today? Come spend Coffee Hour learning how generations of All Saints members have made the commitment to care for our spiritual home at 4550 N Hermitage. You'll learn a little history of our church and how we keep it running.

September 11, 10:00am Coffee Hour in the Parish Hall

September 14, 7:00pm on Zoom 

From 1883-2083: What's next for All Saints?

The 1883 Capital Campaign helped repair our church and revive the spirit of those who laid its first cornerstone. But would we like to celebrate our 200th anniversary in 2083? You'll hear some ideas for our campus and what future financial stewardship will look like. Time to dream big!

September 25, 10:00am Coffee Hour in the Parish Hall

September 28, 7:00pm on Zoom

If you have any questions: contact Jack Garland or Katrina Kasten.

No Livestream of the 11 am Service on Sunday, September 18 

In order to accommodate scheduled AV system upgrades, maintenance, and Tech Team vacations, there will be no live stream of the 11:00 am service on Sunday, September 18.

The Livestream will return on September 25.

Sidetracks Comes to All Saints

September 21!

Brush up your Shakespeare and get ready to "Sing out, Louise!" Join us for the last third Wednesday social event of the summer: a show tune sing-along and open mic with live musical accompaniment provided by music director Colin Collette.

The fun starts in the courtyard at 7:00pm. Got a favorite song you can't wait to belt out? Just let Colin know!

Church School Begins Sunday, September 25

All Saints looks forward to welcoming children back into the atria this fall with some small changes and some return to "old" practices.

• Church school begins Sunday, September 25—a slightly later start than usual that will allow church school leaders to prepare fully for the year.
• Church school will take place from 10:00-11:00am (or beginning with dismissal from the 9:00am service).
• Atrium I will be open at 9:00am for children ages 3-6.
• It is expected that Atrium II and III children attend church or arrive at 10:00am for church school.
• Church school will follow the COVID protocols in place for the entire church community.

An Atrium orientation will be held in September for children who will be new to Atrium I. This includes children who have recently turned 3 years old up to kindergarten age. We will share the date once it is confirmed. 

If you have an older child who'll be starting church school for the first time at All Saints, feel free to reach out Polly Tangora ([email protected]) or Andrea Garland ([email protected]) so we can answer your questions. However, you can also just show up on September 25 at 10:00am, and a church school leader will be happy to welcome you and your child. 

Some key dates to keep in mind:

• October 2: Pet Blessing
• November 13: Parent Information Meeting for Solemn Communion at 10:15am
• November 27: THANKSGIVING Weekend (Outreach Project Stocking Stuffing–all ages)
• December 18: Christmas Pageant 

If you are interested in learning more about the church school and how you can support this ministry, please contact Polly or Andrea.

Save the Date: The Spirits of Ravenswood

The Spirits of Ravenswood, a party to raise money to support our food pantry and community kitchen, returns this year on October 21st! You don't want to miss this fun evening featuring samples from some of our outstanding local breweries and KOVAL distillery. Tickets sales will open soon, but for now, save the date!

HIRING: Church Nursery Care on Sunday Mornings

As church school begins this fall All Saints is looking for an additional nurery-childcare person to be in the nursery every Sunday from 8:45 to 12:15 starting as soon as October 9, 2022.  

On any Sunday morning there are usually 4 to 8 children, ages ranging from 6 months to 4 years old, in our nursery. We are looking for someone at least 18 years old preferably with some college experience, reliable in arriving on time, able to commit to work every Sunday morning all year, and willing to work as one of two paid staff, supervised by a member of the Youth and Children’s Formation Committee.  

This position requires someone who is enthusiastic about working with young children; who interacts in a warm and playful way with toddlers, and who is comfortable communicating with parents and other adults. We will also be considering references and evidence of basic knowledge of child development and experience in providing a safe and consistent structure that meets the needs of this age group. 

If you know someone you would recommend for this position, Polly Tangora would be delighted to talk with you or hear from you by email [email protected].  We hope to have hired someone by October 9^th.

The Consecration of the 13th Bishop of Chicago

The ordination and consecration of the Rev. Paula E. Clark as the Thirteenth Bishop of Chicago will take place the morning of Saturday, September 17 at the Westin Hotel in Lombard, IL.

All are welcome to watch the service live on the diocesan website here. The procession begins at 10:30 am with the service following at 11 am CST. If anyone would like to organize a consecration watch party, please let Courtney know ([email protected]).

For more information about the consecration, go here.

Hosting Coffee Hour

As summer begins to fade and we settle into our more regular schedules, let us also look forward to returning to coffee hour between the 9:00 and 11:00 services. Coffee hour is a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow parishioners that we have missed or welcome new visitors to All Saints with coffee hour hospitality.  

We've worked to make hosting coffee hour a light lift by moving the supplies into the parish hall, and all but eliminating the need to take garbage out afterwards. Please consider signing up. You may be surprised by the amount of gratitude you get in response to your effort!

You may sign up here, but the clipboard method that Dave and Karen Howe made famous is destined to return in the coming weeks as we try to identify hosts through the end of the year. If you have questions, please see Chad Kruse or send him an email at  [email protected].

Becoming Beloved Community:

Racial Reconciliation and Anti-Racism

As part of our congregation's commitment to identify, declare, and commit to share life within God’s Beloved Community, we'd like to alert you to an online training opportunity offered by Bexley-Seabury, “Becoming Beloved Community: Racial Reconciliation and Anti-Racism,” beginning in October. Visit this link for more info.

The 6-week class includes opportunities for personal reflection, asynchronous group reflection and interaction, and synchronous group interaction led by facilitators from the Kaleidoscope Institute.

Registration is $200; however All Saints has five $100 scholarships available to subsidize the cost. Please email Courtney if you're interested in the training and would like a scholarship. 

Join EFM!

Education for Ministry is a lay theology program offered by the University of the South (Sewanee). It is a four-year program. Year 1 covers the Hebrew Bible, Year 2 is the New Testament, Year 3 is church history, and Year 4 is an introduction to theology. EFM groups have members doing all four years, which makes for great discussion. It's sort of like a college seminar but without papers.

The group at Church of the Atonement, 5749 N. Kenmore, will meet on Monday evenings from 6:30-9:00pm this year, beginning on September 19. There are a few openings for new members, both for Year 1 and anyone who started EFM in the past and wants to continue. The fee is $325 per year plus textbooks. The Diocese of Chicago has some scholarship funds available.

Interested? Email Anne Logue at [email protected].

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.

Our current schedule moving forward is:

• September 8 - “The Power and The Glory” by Graham Green
• October 13 - “Boy: Tales of Childhood” by Roald Dahl