September 4, 2025 Edition

The Season of Creation invites us to not only meditate on the beauty of God’s creation, but also on the resilience and renewal that the Earth reveals to us when we honor it. One of the most powerful images in Scripture for such renewal comes from Isaiah 11:1 – a vision of hope where life springs forth from what seemed dead: a shoot from a stump.

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. – Isaiah 11:1 NRSV

In the original Hebrew, the word for the tree in this passage is believed by many scholars to be “elon” or “alon,” often translated as oak or terebinth.* Though different species, and difficult to distinguish from one another, the trees are among the only relatively tall trees in Israel. Both are renowned for their deep roots and their ability to regenerate, even when cut down. The tree becomes a metaphor for the Davidic line – once seemingly destroyed, yet still alive at the roots, awaiting the emergence of new life in the form of the Messiah.

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A new 8-week Bible Study on the "Parables of Jesus" will begin on Friday, September 5, from 10-11 AM in the church parlor and go through October 24. This is an opportunity to learn more about why Jesus spoke these parables, what they meant to the people of his day, and how we can apply them to our lives today. BRING YOUR BIBLE and something for taking notes. Come when you can and invite your friends! In every session we'll be reading & discussing different parables. This is an opportunity to be among friends in a relaxed, no pressure environment, and further nurture our own walk with Christ. For questions, contact Lynda Waller or Barbara Lewis. Their information is in Realm.

Feeding our neighbors – Don't forget non-perishable food! Every Sunday morning you can bring non-perishable food for our neighbors. Place food in the baskets in worship spaces or the food donations bin in the Welcome Center. Some often requested items are collard green, turnip greens, and grits. Additionally, the food pantry has been running out oatmeal and cereal. Thanks for remembering non-perishable food on Sunday mornings. It makes a difference!

Want to feed hungry kiddos on EYC nights? We'd love your help! Just click the sign up button to find out how you can be an important part of caring for All Saints' youth.

Fall Music Ministry: Let’s get started! The five groups that meet or serve weekly as part of the Music Ministry at All Saints’ start up soon. I pray that you and your children will consider being part of something beautiful.

• St. Nicholas Choir, for Grades 1-3: Starting Tuesday, 9/9, from 5:30-6 PM, Room 106
• Jr. Choir of All Saints’, for Grades 4-7: Starting Tuesday, 9/9, from 6-7 PM, Room 106
• Bells of All Saints, Grade 9 through Adult: Starts Wednesday, 9/17, from 6-7 PM, Nave Loft
• Resurrection Choir sings at 9 AM service: Each Sunday at 8:15 AM, Parish Hall
• Choir of All Saints’ sings at the 11:10 AM service: Starting Wednesday, 9/10, 7-8:30 PM, Room 106

Please reach out to me if you have any questions or are interested being part of the fun!

Brian Sapp-Moore, Dir. of Music & Coordinator of Communications

Year 7 of Energy Saving Trees starts next week | One of the best things we can do to Care for Creation is to plant a tree. Starting this coming Monday, September 8, homeowners in Concord zip codes 28025 and 28026 will be able to order one free tree from the Arbor Day Foundation. You may choose from 8 different species of native trees that are ready to plant. Trees can be ordered from this website, starting on Monday, September 8! Don’t delay ordering your tree as last year all 300 trees were reserved in 3 days! Pre-ordered trees are picked up on October 18, 2025, at All Saints’. Contact Mark Robinson for more information or to volunteer.

Ministry Leaders! We will be holding a Ministry Expo at 10:10 AM on Sunday, September 28 in the Welcome Center. This will give you an opportunity to make our parish community aware of what your ministry does in the life of the church. Tables will be set up so that you can use a tri-fold poster to display your ministry. Note: If you need inspiration, past ministry presentation boards are available. After the expo, these old tri-folds will be thrown away. For more information, contact Amanda in the church office.

Confronting Whiteness | Wednesdays, September 24-December 3, 11:30 AM-1 PM, via Zoom | In a partnership between the diocesan discipleship team and the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee (RJRC), the diocese is offering Confronting Whiteness. Over the course of nine weeks, participants will explore confronting whiteness together through the lens of Black authors, artists, poets, and filmmakers. As a participant, you will be invited to examine and share what you learn about confronting whiteness in yourself.

Teak benches in our Columbarium are available for naming opportunities. A bench

In Honor or In Memory with brass plaque is $1,000 payable to All Saints'. If you are

interested in purchasing a bench, please contact Rebecca Bahn. Her information is in Realm.

Watch for your invitation to a special Community Gathering! In an effort to make our sense of community at All Saints’ even stronger, the Vestry has developed a new way for all of us to meet and get to know one another better. 

The Vestry Engagement Group is planning two phases of opportunities. The first part is going on now, with newcomers and others being invited to participate in hosted Community Gatherings to meet people whom we may have never met before and hear updates about our transition process. Phase 2 will likely start in the first part of September with invitations to hosted events in the homes of parishioners’ with libations and appetizers for conversations and a transition update.

Watch for your invitation by text in the coming weeks. Contact Guy Antonides, Melissa Goodwin, or Chuck Collier if you have any questions. Their information is in Realm.

Join the Tuesdays at Three Zoom discussion group in studying The Message of Jesus: Words That Changed the World. Contact Charles McKinley for more information and for the Zoom link.

Prayer is the foundation of the ministry of this parish. If you would like to request prayers, please share here. If you are hospitalized, please let the church know. If you are unable to make the call yourself, ask for the chaplain on call and they will make it for you. The church phone number is 704-782-2024.

This week from the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for: Pray for The Anglican Church of Southern Africa. This week from the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer we pray for: Calvary, Tarboro; St. Luke’s, Tarboro; St. Michael’s, Tarboro. This week from the Parish Cycle of Prayer we pray for: The Farrand Family, Karen Fernandez, and Brad & Dawn Fisher. This week prayers have also been requested for: Henry, Erik, AJ, and Kristin.