When I lived in D.C., I used to run on the National Mall several times a week. Those familiar monuments loomed large, and sometimes ominous, in the pre-dawn darkness. I couldn’t help but wonder about the people who were
not
represented by those memorials, whose stories had not been included in our narratives commemorating those who gave their lives to fight for freedom, equality, and justice in this nation. New museums have been built on that historic mall since I moved away from our national capital. Long-buried stories are now being celebrated, helping us remember American heroes like Amelia Boynton.
Boynton was a teacher who opened her home for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to plan that historic Selma to Montgomery March, back in 1965. She was among the 600 peaceful protesters who attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge that fateful day; she was beaten senseless by troopers that prohibited the group from crossing. Boynton went on to be the first African American woman to run on Alabama’s Democratic ticket and compete for a seat in Congress. This “Matriarch of the Voting Rights Movement” garnered 10 percent of the votes in that race, at a time when African Americans comprised only 1 percent of Alabama’s population. Boynton regularly reminded younger Americans, “you can never know where you are going unless you know where you have been.”
I have not visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, in Montgomery, AL. Judging from the stories of those who have traveled to the sacred site, it is a potent place of remembrance and lament. This summer, I will join fellows from our faith community who will make the journey to Montgomery, to reflect on America’s history of racial inequality and to grapple with the racism that still harms the people of our nation. Knowing where we have been, as Boynton attests, empowers us to move ahead clearly toward where we need to be. Please pray about whether you might be called to
join this pilgrimage
, as God’s healing grace awakens us to the Christian responsibility to pursue justice and peace, transformed by courageous remembrance.
In the coming weeks, The MICAH Project at All Saints' offers
several opportunities
for communal reflection on the history of race in Atlanta. The content of these sessions may prove difficult to hear, inviting us to look at a traumatic time in the history of race relations in the South. Such remembrance is never an end in itself. We remember in order to turn toward God’s dreams for a reconciled and transformed world. Let us also celebrate the legacies of faithful leaders throughout the generations, like Amelia Boynton, who have given their lives to see justice, freedom, and peace brought to all people. May our dreams, like hers, align with God’s, stirring us to work for that promised future the prophet Amos foretold, where justice rolls down like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
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Trusting in God’s transformation of the world and our call to participate,
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The Rev. Sarah Stewart
Associate Rector for Young Adults and Innovation
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Young Adult Formation Series:
In Faith
- Sunday, February 16
- 10:20—11:05 a.m.
- P202, 2nd Floor, Parish House
On the third Sunday of each month, join us to explore resources from our Christian tradition that can support us in our daily lives.
Winter/Spring Dates
: February 16, April 19, and May 17.
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The MICAH Project: Race and Atlanta History
- Sundays, February 16, 23 and March 1
- 10:20—11:05 a.m.
- Ellis Hall, 1st Floor, Parish House
The MICAH (our
M
ission
I
s
C
onversation
A
nd
H
ealing) Project will help us continue our conversation about race with a series of three classes about the 1906 massacre called “The Atlanta Race Riot.”
During the first session (2/16), Bob Miller will describe the events that reshaped Atlanta’s race history with “The Sidewalks Ran Red: The 1906 Atlanta Race Riot.”
In the subsequent two sessions (2/23 and 3/1), Atlanta actors Chris Kayser and Neal Ghant will reenact the unprecedented conversation that took place after the massacre between Carey Wilmer, rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church at the time, and W.E.B. DuBois, the famous scholar and founder of the NAACP.
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All Saints' Quiet Night
- Tuesday, February 18
- 7:30—8:30 p.m.
- Chapel
Join us for a peaceful evening of prayer and contemplation, featuring music familiarized by the monastic brothers of Taizé, France. Bring friends, family, and your whole selves to rest and be restored in God’s presence.
We invite volunteers to help prepare the space, read the lessons and prayers during the service, and welcome newcomers into the quiet of this communal nights. To volunteer for this service, or for our
Quiet Tuesday services
in March, please email me at
sstewart@allsaintsatlanta.org
.
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Young Adult Formation Series: Sink Your Teeth Into This
- Wednesday, February 19
- 7:00—8:30 p.m.
- P307, 3rd Floor, Parish House
Join our young adults on the last Wednesday* of each month to be part of a discussion that invites us to sink our teeth into spiritual resources for living with courage and faith in an ever-changing world.
*Please note that we’re meeting on the third Wednesday this month due to Ash Wednesday on February 26.
Spring Dates
: March 25, April 15, and May 20
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February Saints on Tap
- Thursday, February 20
- 7:00—9:30 p.m.
- Pijui Belly, 678 10th St NW, Atlanta
Join our young adults to get a taste of what the Westside has to offer at Pijiu Belly, a Korean Chinese Gastropub. Please RSVP to Michael Asmussen at
michael.asmussen@gmail.com
.
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Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
- Tuesday, February 25
- 5:00—7:00 p.m.
- Ellis Hall, 1st Floor, Parish House
Join us on Shrove Tuesday (and the last day of Mardi Gras) for a delicious pancake supper prepared by the men of Covenant Community.
The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children, ages 3—12. All proceeds go to Covenant Community.
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Ash Wednesday
Mark the start of Lent with one of our Ash Wednesday worship services:
- 7:30 a.m., 12:05 p.m., & 7:30 p.m.: Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes, in the church
- 5:00 p.m.: Worship Service for All Ages, in the church
Not able to make it to one of our Ash Wednesday Worship services? Pause during your lunch break or evening commute to get
Ashes To Go
:
- 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., North Ave MARTA Station
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The All Saints’ 2020 Legacy and Justice Pilgrimage
- Thursday, June 4 through Sunday, June 7
- Montgomery and Selma, Alabama
- Led by Rev. Natosha Reid Rice and the Rev. Dr. Andy Barnett
Join us on this intergenerational pilgrimage as we seek to live into our baptismal covenant and strive toward becoming Beloved Community. This trip will help us grapple with our country’s troubled racial history and call us to healing.
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Sunday, February 16
Tuesday, February 18
Wednesday, February 19
Thursday, February 20
Sunday, February 23
Tuesday, February 25
Wednesday, February 26
- Ash Wednesday Worship
- 7:30 a.m., 12:05 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes, in the church
- 5:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Worship Service for All Ages, in the church
Sunday, March 1
Tuesdays, March 3 through 31
Saturday, March 7
Wednesdays, March 11, 18, 25 and April 1, 22, and 29
Sunday, March 15
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We publish this email newsletter every week or two to provide updates about what's coming up for young adults at All Saints', as well as parish-wide events that might interest you. If you do not wish to receive these updates, you can unsubscribe at any time (scroll to the bottom of the email). If you'd prefer to receive the parish-wide weekly newsletter instead (or in addition),
click here
and select the Main Parish-Wide Email List.
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For more information contact The Rev. Sarah Stewart
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