February 1, 2024 Edition

Welcoming new Vestry Members and Thanks for those leaving! The Vestry of All Saints’ Concord is the legal representative of the congregation in all matters concerning property and governing board of All Saints’. It is made up of 12 lay members elected for staggered, overlapping three-year terms and the Rector, who is permanent member with voice and vote.

Fran Burkett, Don Foskey, Tom Holder and Jack Jones are leaving the Vestry. I thank them for their service.

At the Annual Meeting January 28, Chuck Collier, Andrea Holdren, and Jan Millar were elected to three-year terms. Chuck Collier was most recently filling a short-term vacancy. After the Annual Meeting, the Vestry elected Martin Ericson as Senior Warden and Rhonda Kovar as Junior Warden. There remained a one-year vacancy and a three-year vacancy. This week, Melissa Goodwin was selected to fill the one-year vacancy.

Chuck, Andrea, Jan, and Melissa – I thank you for your willingness to serve.

The 2024 vestry is: Martin Ericson, Senior Warden, Rhonda Kovar, Junior Warden, Al Bonnyman, Randy Brantley, Chuck Collier, Jennifer Cook, Nate Ernst, Melissa Goodwin, Andrea Holdren, Jan Millar, and Beth Simpson.

We still have one vacancy for a three-year term. If you would be interested in serving on the Vestry, please contact Martin Ericson at 704-533-9614.

First Sunday Offering | On Sunday, February 4, we will be dedicating our "loose plate" offering to the All Saints' Assistance Fund. This fund is used to provide support for those needing help with housing, utilities, insurance, medical, and/or funeral expenses. The church uses the Assistance Fund to help many people, and, currently, the fund is depleted. Please give generously towards this important ministry of the church.

All Saints' 2023 Annual Report is here! You can view interactively online, download, share, or even print the Annual Report using the link below. If you would like a printed version of the Annual Report, please contact Church Administrator Stephanie Trosper at the church office, 704.782.2024, ext. 101.

You're Needed! Sign Up to Provide EYC Meals! We have enjoyed the outpouring in the provision of food for our group each Sunday, which has fed 15-20 mouths each time! We’d like to give special recognition to Stephen Ministries, who is on the calendar once a month, and to all the individuals who volunteer their resources and time to love us through food. If this is an area you or your ministry team are interested in helping with, please know we have plenty of grateful bellies you can fill! Click here to sign up!

You are invited to the Planned Giving Seminar to learn more about making a will, estate planning, legacy giving and more! On Tuesday, February 6, there will be a light dinner at 6:30 in the Parish Hall, followed by the seminar. Our speakers include Dan Boone of Black and Boone P.A, a long-time estate attorney in Concord with two of his colleagues, and David Gordon, of Gordon Keeter and Ford CPAs, to discuss several topics of interest, including tax planning, will-making (an important essential for every one of us) and legacy giving. Please sign up to help with planning dinner and do share if you’d like child care.

Our next Blood Drive is February 7, 2024 | The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. Less than half of the appointments at the upcoming All Saints’ blood drive are filled. Please consider giving blood Wednesday, February 7. Appointments available from 2:30 to 7:00 p.m. Go to www.redcrossblood.org, enter allsaints (one word) in the Find a Blood Drive box, and make an appointment today!

The Thursday 5:00 Small Group invites you to drop in and see if the group is a good fit for you! We take a non-traditional approach to our discussion content, as we select collections of writings in which each week’s offering is an individual stand-alone piece. Group members can fully engage with the discussion any week, even if they have to miss some meetings or have joined mid-program. From now until Lent, we will view and discuss videos from the TheoEd library. During Lent, we will read from Not Safe but Good, a collection of short stories sharpened by faith. Be sure to look for Volume 2, with the blue cover (as shown above). For the Zoom link or more information, contact Alice Baxter or Michelle Bohrer.

The Saturday Men's Group will start a new book on February 17. We invite the Men of the church to join us for 13 weeks reading and discussing the sermons of The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor. We meet at 8 AM on Saturdays in the Welcome Center.

You’re invited to find out more about All Saints’ Learning Gardens at the Organizational Meeting on Saturday, February 17, from 9:45-11:30 AM in the Welcome Center. We invite you to learn about perennial, herb, and vegetable gardening from an experiential learning program in the Gardens of All Saints’. No prior gardening experience is required. You will experience the joy of gardening with your children and grandchildren. This is a great opportunity for those who are unable to garden at home. As we grow perennials, herbs, and vegetables together you will be able to – Tend some, Take some, Share some! Time commitment: 4 hours per month working in the gardens with experienced gardeners (late March through-mid-August). Set workdays of two-hour duration will be established. Come learn about the joy of working outdoors, and the health and spiritual benefits of working in Creation at the Organizational Meeting on Saturday, February 17. Please reach out to our leadership team with any questions: Mark Robinson, Elizabeth Solomon, Teri Jones, Deborah Monroe, Bob Black, or Gary Kovar.

A beautiful new Paschal candle holder and candle has been given to the Glory of God and in Thanksgiving for the Deacons of All Saints’. The Paschal candle is especially important in our Easter liturgy and at funerals. The Paschal candle lighted with the new fire of the Easter vigil symbolizes the risen Christ. After the lighting of the Paschal candle, the deacon bears it and leads the procession to the chancel. Candles carried by the people and other lights may be lit from the Paschal candle. Paschal candle also represents Jesus' resurrection and triumph over death and is a symbol of hope and new life. Therefore, the Pascal Candle is also lighted during services for those who have died. The deacon bears the candle during the procession and recession at the funeral service as a symbol of hope, new life and the resurrection of the dead. We thank this anonymous donor for their love and faithfulness.

We offer praise and thanks for the birth of John Carlos Bonnyman to Norman Bonnyman and Hilary Albrecht on January 11, 2024. Grandparents Al and Jean Bonnyman joyfully announce the birth of their new grandson.

We offer praise and thanks for the birth of Maurice Elmen Benshoff to Dr. Matthew and Leemarie Benshoff on January 4, 2024. Grandparents Al and Kris Benshoff are happy to announce the birth of their new grandson. We share in their joy!

We offer condolences and prayers to the family, friends, and students of Kendall Bost, nephew of Michael Bost, beloved son of Concord, educator, and coach. Click for the obituary and news article.

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.

Prayers have been requested for Phil, Donald, and Charlotte.

We continue to keep Presiding Bishop Michael Curry in our prayers. Click for his latest health update.