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SAINTS Alive! THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH All Saints’ Church Chelmsford, MA January 2006
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SAINTS Alive! THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH All Saints’ Church Chelmsford, MA January 2006
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From the Rector
Joining God’s Mission
In this coming year we will hear a lot about Mission. The Outreach Commission, chaired by Dave Kuzara, has spent the last 8 months reflecting on what being more mission oriented might mean for us. In th next few months and during Lent we will focus on Mission in the liturgy and in our education programs. On February 12th and March 5th we will be featuring guest preachers including a missionary couple serving in Kenya, Nancy and Gerry Hardison. This summer I will be visiting them on my sabbatical.
All of this is fine and good, but it does raise the question of what do we mean when we talk about mission. The Rev. Titus Presler, an Episcopal Priest, wrote in Horizons of Mission the ten marks or qualities that he believes Anglican global mission should and will have in the coming decade:
1. Proclaim the gospel with baptismal confidence
2. Serve as sacraments of Christ in relationship
3. Live as companions in solidarity with the suffering
4. Receive Christ as pilgrims with others
5. Nurture human wholeness in grassroots communities
6. Struggle for jubilee justice, reconciliation and peace
7. Collaborate with other churches and Christian groups
8. Explore gospel expressions in diverse cultures
9. Cooperate with people of other faiths
10. Celebrate Eucharistic community
Let us spend some time in 2006 thinking and praying about what joining God’s mission means for us here at All Saints’!
Peace,
Tom
Annual Meeting
Sunday January 22, 2006
The Annual Meeting of All Saints’ Church will be held after the 10:00 AM service on Sunday, January 22nd. We will provide lunch, receive reports about the ministries and programs of the parish, present the financial reports for 2005 and the budget for 2006 and elect members of the Vestry and other representatives.
All are welcome to the Annual Meeting.
The requirements to vote at Annual Meeting, according to the All Saints’ Parish By-Laws are:
· To have been baptized,
· To be 16 years old or more,
· To subscribe to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Parish,
· To have aided in maintaining public worship therein for a period of 12 months immediately preceding the meeting by regular attendance of such worship,
· To have made an identifiable financial contribution toward the support of the Parish.
Current Vestry Members
Scott Bempkins* Robb Dussault*
Beth Anne Economou Lois Freeman
Steve Grillo Karine Marino*
Joe Sala Sally Warren Anne Whitaker
Adrienne Spear, Senior Warden
Kevin Davis, Treasurer*
*Term ends January 2006
Bottle and Can Recycling
We have just wrapped up the recycling process for this year. At this writing, any additional bottles and cans will be applied to next year's total.
Our 2005 total is $233.85. That makes the 8 year total $1,699.30.
While this won't pay the mortgage, it does add up! This comes from a limited number of donors. Can you help? Please bring recyclable bottles and cans to the Church and leave them in the storage area at the end of the Parish hall next to the kitchen. I pick them up every week. (If possible, please pull the flip top tabs from the cans and give them to Meredith McElroy who sends them to the Shriners). The combination of Environmental Stewardship and support to the Church and Shriners should make you feel good! It does me!
Thanks for your continued support.
Carol Douglas
Capital Campaign
In 2003, All Saints’ Church initiated a capital campaign to fund the renovations and handicapped accessibility project that resulted in the new building between the church and the Parish Hall and the complete renovation of the Parish Hall and Kitchen. We also took out a three year construction bridge loan that will be converted to a 20 year mortgage this summer. Through this whole project the members of All Saints’ have been incredibly generous with their money as well as time and expertise. We also have a wonderful facility that has supported and enhanced our mission.
Right now the bridge loan is about $210,000. We hope to have it down to $145,000 by August, 2006, when we convert it into a mortgage. This will require that everyone who has made a pledge to the capital campaign fulfill their pledge. This is also an opportunity for anyone who would like to contribute to the building renovation project to do so. The mortgage will be paid out of our operating budget.
Increase Your Pledge by $5,000 to $10,000 by Making One Phone Call
Editor's Note: The Church Finance Disclosure Bill S-2267 was defeated by a vote of 3-147 on Wednesday, 25 January 2006. The Bishop's Office has extended its thanks to all who contacted and met their representatives.
Call your State Representative to vote down the Church Finance Disclosure Bill S-2267.
In early January, the State House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a bill that would mandate all religious congregations to file annual financial reports signed off by a CPA to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. Our Diocese and the Massachusetts Council of Churches estimate that this will cost about $5,000 to $10,000 a year for a congregation our size. You can in effect increase your pledge by calling your state representative and asking them to vote down Senate Bill S-2267.
The impetus for this bill came from dissatisfaction with the lack of financial transparency by the Roman Catholic Church. The proposed remedy would severely punish congregations like All Saints’ who do practice complete financial transparency. From our founding our bylaws, as well as the Episcopal Church Canons, stipulated that financial reports are published and presented at the Annual Meeting. This is true with most religious congregations in the state except for the Roman Catholic Church. I have great sympathy for those who would like to use the legislature to force their church to make disclosures, but this bill is not the way to do it.
On December 15th Representatives Tom Golden, Geoff Hall and Cory Atkins met with the Chelmsford Interfaith Clergy Association to talk about the bill. Representative David Nangle was unable to make it and sent his regrets. In the meeting we did learn more about the bill. Representative Atkins supports the bill and is a co-sponsor. Representatives Golden, Nangle and Hall said that they have not made up their minds. They all said that they had heard a lot from those who support the bill and now they are hearing from the clergy who oppose it. They went on to say that if we want to influence their decisions, we need to have members of our congregations let them know. I am asking you to take up their challenge and contact your representatives.
When you call or email your Representative it is important to identify yourself and where you live. You may also want to say that you are a member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church. Then simply tell them that you oppose Senate Bill #2267, the Church Finance Disclosure Bill and ask them to vote against it.
Something I have learned when calling is to ask for the Representative’s office. They often share receptionists. You will probably talk to a staff person instead of the representative. That is OK; their job is to communicate your concerns to the Rep. Make sure to thank them for considering this matter, even if they disagree with you.
Contact information is listed for all Senators and Representatives, at www.mass.gov/legis/citytown or call 617-722-2000. For more information please speak to the Rector or see the packet of information in the church Narthex.
Annual Reports
The Annual Meeting of All Saints' Church will be on Sunday January 22nd after the 10:00 AM service. We would like to have the Annual reports ready by the Sunday before, January 15th so people will have an opportunity to read them before the meeting. This means reports from ministry areas will have to be sent to the office or e-mailed to aschurch@gis.net by Monday, January 9, 2006.
The content of the reports should be a summary of the activities of your commission, group or program as well as what you hope for in 2006. We will plan on using the reports on the web page to help people know what is going on.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or the wardens. Thank you in advance and for all the work you have done this past year.
Peace,
Tom
Korean Church Celebrates
2nd Anniversary
On January 29th the Korean Evangelical Church of Chelmsford will celebrate their second anniversary. They have invited our rector, Tom Barrington, to preach at their noon service in the Chapel. He will preach in English and it will be translate into Korean. Members of All Saints’ are welcome to come and worship with them.
While the Korean congregation is small, they are looking to expand their mission to the local community under the leadership of Pastor Seongho Cho. They are supporting the St. Paul’s feeding program and the Chelmsford Community Exchange food pantry.
We look forward to increased opportunities to worship and grow in Christ together.
Epiphany Celebration
AMAHL & THE NIGHT VISITORS
We will hold an Epiphany celebration on Saturday, January 7, which will begin with a parish potluck at 6 p.m., followed by a performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors in the sanctuary.
Amahl is a family-friendly opera by Gian Carlo Menotti that tells a story about a poor boy and his mother, and their visit from the three kings on their way to see the Christ Child. This is an Indian Hill production, with Susan Gates as Amahl’s mother, and our parishioners as the village people.
There will be a free will offering to offset costs for the West Virginia Workcamp in 2006. Please tell your friends about this unique opportunity that is open to all.
The Outreach Development Team has been working hard these past months. Our primary focus in Outreach this year will be to educate ourselves and the parish about Outreach and to help All Saints’ discern what its mission is to the wider world. The planning is not yet complete but here is a list of Outreach-related events that you can expect to see in 2006:
There will be a production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” after the Epiphany potluck. This is family play and features singers from both All Saints and Central Congregational Church. There will be a free will offering, proceeds of which will go to offset costs for the West Virginia Workcamp in 2006.
A West Virginia Workcamp Dinner will be held at Central Congregational Church. This dinner is a celebration of the previous year’s workcamp and a kickoff and fundraiser for the upcoming workcamp. It will feature a slide show from the 2005 workcamp and a chance to hear what it was like from those who went. If you have any interest in going on the 2006 workcamp or would just like to support this worthy project, please consider attending. Look for announcements in future bulletins for the time and other details.
This Sunday has been designated “Mission Sunday” this year at All Saints’. There will be a focus on Mission and Outreach during the service with prayers, hymns and a guest speaker that all have Outreach themes. More details will be provided as the plans are finalized.
There will be a continued focus on Mission and Outreach during the Lenten season. This includes both Sunday services and the weekly Lenten Study program. This year the Lenten Study will be based on “TREK, The World of Enough”, a program that has been used at All Saints’ in the past with very favorable reviews.
Look for more details on each of these events as they get closer and please plan to participate as much as you can. Also, take some time in your prayers and reflections to ask yourself what YOU think the mission of All Saints’ Church should be to the wider world around us. There will be opportunities in the upcoming months to share your thoughts with the Outreach Development Team as we help the parish to discern its Mission.
For the Outreach Team,
Dave Kuzara
Hope Begins with You
QPR, for Suicide Prevention
Every 17 minutes, at least 6 Americans lose a loved one to suicide. Most did not have the chance to learn the warning signs. You have the opportunity to make a difference. You have the chance to help save a life.
Easy to learn, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) takes just one hour and is free. Participants will learn the warning signs and how to respond to those who are feeling suicidal. This free and life-saving training is being offered at ASC on January 8th at 4:00 p.m. The training is especially valuable for those who have contact with the elderly, young adults, and those who are chronically ill.
QPR is a nation-wide suicide prevention program. It will be taught by Alice Lenhart, a certified QPR instructor. For more information, contact Alice Lenhart at aelenhart@hotmail.com.
Pilgrimage to Israel & Palestine
In January 2006, Christen Mills and Jennifer Barrington will be part of a group of about thirty college students joining Bishop Tom Shaw on a ten-day pilgrimage to Israel/Palestine. Their journey will help them build wisdom and courage for the ministry of reconciliation to which we are all called by Christ. The group will gain a deeper understanding of the calling to “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).
Your prayer support, both for the pilgrims and for peace in Israel and Palestine, will be greatly appreciated.
Peace and God Bless,
Christen Mills and Jennifer Barrington
Both Christen and Jennifer have been active in the Episcopal chaplaincy at Boston University.
All Saints’ “church mouse”
Did you know that we have a resident “church mouse”? Thank you Ann E. Mouse for the $17.50 in wrapped pennies that appeared in the Penny Basket. She reports they were found under the pews! What a fortunate find – and to donate them all to the Feeding Program is wonderful. Thank you!
Barbara Willman
p.s. This donation brings pennies donated for this year up to $126.00. That’s a lot of pennies. Thank you all. The “Feeding Program” loves your support.
Adult Christian Formation at All Saints’
Upcoming Formation Events
Jan 7 Celebrate Epiphany here at All Saints’!
Jan 8 QPR Suicide Prevention Training 4:00 PM
Jan 9 Worship Committee meeting 7:00 PM
Jan 10 Silent Night 7:00- 8:30 PM Blue Room
Jan 11 via media part 2 begins 7:00- 9:00 PM Parish Hall
Jan 18 via media program 7:00- 9:00 PM Meeting Room
Jan 22 Annual Meeting after 10:00 service
Jan 25 via media program 7:00- 9:00 PM Parish Hall
Feb 1 via media part 2 ends 7:00- 9:00 PM Parish Hall
Start the New Year with Part 2 of via media, a wonderful course on the Episcopal Church and faith. Many parishioners gathered last autumn for Part 1 and found the presentations and conversations about the Anglican approach to Christianity and about God as Creator, Jesus and Holy Spirit stimulating and supportive. via media is both for longtime members looking to know and live their faith more deeply and for persons newer to the church who want to know more about what Episcopalians believe and practice.
With the busyness of autumn and Christmas over, perhaps this is the perfect time to nurture your spiritual life. I suggest 3 simple possibilities: 1) Join the adult discussion group any Sunday morning, 9:00 in the Blue Room, for a discussion of the gospel reading for the day. 2) Cultivate silence and prayer in your life by coming to Silent Night the second Tuesday evening of each month, 7:00- 8:30 in the Blue Room for a time of reflection, silence and fellowship. 3) Begin Wednesday mornings with Morning Prayer at 7:00 AM in the Blue Room. This service takes about one half hour and is a great opportunity to gather with others for prayer.
Welcome to the season of Epiphany! May our worship, learning, service and fellowship be full of the light of Christ!
in peace,
Amy Hunter
Associate for Adult Christian Formation
via media
The Basics about Christianity in the Anglican Tradition
The season of Epiphany is the perfect time to shine some light on your faith! This year All Saints’ is pleased to be offering a new program called via media. via media’s mission is to educate and inspire those who are currently members of the Episcopal Church and those interested in learning more. We encourage members to bring along friends and family members who have unanswered questions about our faith.
via media is a new 8-week education series, which we are offering in two parts. 35 people attended Part 1 last October. We hope that all those folks will return this month for Part 2, and we wholeheartedly welcome those who were not able to attend in the autumn to come as well. Each evening will feature a video in which prominent figures in the Anglican Church talk about various issues. Part 2 will look at Scripture, sin, Christian hope, Christian community and the Eucharist. In addition, there will be time for open discussion and of course, FOOD.
Join us Wednesdays, January 11, 18, 25 and February 1, 7:00- 9:00 in the Parish Hall.
Bring yourself and bring a friend!
If you plan to attend, please let Amy Hunter know at 978-459-3418 or fifimom@juno.com so that we can better plan for food and materials.
Buildings and Grounds
Welcome to 2006! Please read the B&G section in the Annual Report for a more complete discussion of accomplishments and challenges ahead.
I would like to apologize for being the Energy Grinch. We have tried to work down the costs in the face of rising prices. It takes several hours to bring the main Church up to temperature. Downstairs, on a different zone, is much quicker. The 45-year-old furnace is horribly inefficient.
In the Thrift Shop/ Chapel, some new duct shut-offs will help a little … but be mindful that the Chapel has not one shred of insulation, and the dual furnaces seem to have two settings, blast and off. In the five heating months last year, we averaged 245 ccf’s of natural gas per month. So far this year the price is at $1.88 per ccf.
The electrical usage is a little harder to nail down. Bit by bit (and much thanks to Steve Grillo), we are replacing light bulbs with much more energy efficient ones. However, All Saints’ also runs four refrigeration units, only two of which are high efficiency.
Your B&G will continue to evaluate what steps can be taken to save money, some of which may require capital improvement, some of which would involve behaviors and schedules.
Rich Jerome
Parishwide Winter Weekend
An All Saints’ Tradition
This year’s Winter Weekend will be held from Friday, February 3rd through Sunday February 5th, 2006 at Sentinel Baptist camp in Tuftonburo, NH.
So what is "Winter Weekend" and where is it?
All Saints Church has held Winter Weekend at Sentinel Lodge since 1978. Camp Sentinel is a Baptist camp located in the remote town of Tuftonburo, NH. The lodge was originally a summer home and sits among 650 acres of woodland. The location is extraordinarily peaceful and beautiful. Kids enjoy sledding and playing in the snow and (if it’s cold enough) skating on Dan Hole Pond.
The lodge is fairly large and accommodates roughly 55 people. The "main room" of the lodge has an 8' wide stone fireplace to warm cold feet. Overall, the lodge could be described as “rustic”.How much does it cost?
Expect approximately $50 per adult (less for kids). This includes lodging and food, so it is a great getaway that’s not too expensive.
Who’s invited?
Families, couples, and singles! We'd encourage all to go, but there's a special invitation to those who are "new" to either the parish, or the event. It's really a great time, and a wonderful way to get to know many other parishioners, and get away from the rat-race for a few days.
If you plan on attending
Please put it on your calendars, and if you're planning on attending please let Steve Grillo (steve@odic.com - 978-448-2746) or Steve Sullivan (steves@attitudemedia.com - 978-251-3775) know in the next week or two.
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Churches and institutions we are asked to consider especially during the month of January are listed in this section.
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We remember also the people and parishes of the Brazil. There is a companion diocese relationship between the Episcopal Churches of Brazil and the dioceses of the Episcopal Church of the United States.
We pray for a peaceful and Godly resolution of conditions that led to the recent racial incidents in France (riots), Australia (riots), and St Petersburg, Russia (killing). In Massachusetts, we recall the work of the Anti-Racism Task Force, which asks the people and congregations of the Diocese to “join with us in God's transforming mission as we seek to live into our Baptismal promises in seeking and serving Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves, and by working for justice and peace, respecting the dignity of every human being. In particular, we ask the people and congregations to join in ongoing work to eliminate racism in the Church and the world.”
“The Anti-Racism Task Force has provided trainings to many congregations in the diocese and stands ready to assist the diocese and the congregations in future training events in anti-racism.”
We pray for resolution of border disputes throughout the world, particularly, in January 2006, in the Middle East, remembering:
Christen Mills and Jennifer Barrington, traveling in Israel and Palestine with a number of members of the Diocese of Massachusetts, including Bishop Tom Shaw.
We recall the misfortunes of recent environmental disasters:
· Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma and their impacts on Central America and the United States, remembering lives lost, injuries, displaced people, homes lost, illnesses. We seek God’s blessing for all who help recovery efforts in these regions.
The Diocese of Massachusetts has asked parishes to inform Carol Kingston of their own relief work for Katrina.
c.carolkingston@comcast.net
· Hurricane Stan and its impacts in and around Guatemala (massive mudslides), Mexico, and El Salvador.
· The earthquake in the Kashmir region, snows in the region, and the cold of winter in the Himalayas
· Recent earthquakes in Iran; Japan; and, least expected, in the Congo.
Sunday, January 1, 2006: Holy Name
All Saints’ Church, Belmont
St. Andrew’s Church, Belmont
St. Peter’s Church, Beverly
The Episcopal Times Board and Staff
Ministries with the Aging
Friday, January 6, 2006: Epiphany
Saturday, January 7, 2006: Epiphany celebrated: (Parish potluck dinner at All Saints’ followed by a production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors”, a family play that features singers from both All Saints and Central Congregational Church.)
Sunday, January 8, 2006 First Sunday after Epiphany
Trinity Church,
Boston
Episcopal Chaplaincy at Boston University, Boston
Emmanual Church, Braintree
Trinity Church, Bridgewater
Asiamerica Ministries
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Central Congregational Church, hosting a West Virginia Workcamp Dinner will be held at Central Congregational Church. If you’re interested in going on the 2006 workcamp or would just like to support this worthy project, please consider attending. Look for announcements in future bulletins for the time and other details.
Sunday, January 15, 2006 Second Sunday after Epiphany
St. Paul’s Church, Brockton
All Saints’
Church, Brookline
Church of Our Savior, Brookline
The Diocesan Council
Diocesan Business Systems and Property Consultants
Sunday, January 22, 2006 Third Sunday after Epiphany
St. Andrew’s
Church for the Deaf, Brookline
St. Paul’s Church, Brookline
St. Mark’s Church, Burlington
St. Peter’s-on-the-Canal, Buzzard’s Bay
United Interfaith Action
Prison Ministries
Sunday, January 29, 2006 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Christ Church, Cambridge
St. Bartholomew’s Church, Cambridge
St. James’ Church, Cambridge
St. Peter’s Church, Cambridge
Charles River Deanery
January 2006 Quotation
“And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children – black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants – will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last.’”
Martin Luther King, Jr
August 8th, 1963.
(All phone numbers are area code 978 unless indicated)
Church Office...................................... 256-5673
Senior Warden....... Adrienne Spear
Junior Warden........ Ron Cannistraro
Treasurer............... Kevin Davis
Clerk..................... Jeremy Ahouse
Acolyte Director.... Clem Cole
Adult Education...... Amy Hunter
Altar Guild............. Liz Landers
Buildings and…….. Rich Jerome
Grounds
Christian School..... Laura Marshall
Michelle Thomas
Elizabeth Danieli
Coffee Hour.......... Cindy Dussault
Endowment ........... Jean McCaffery
Environmental Stewardship
Committee............. Liz Marshall
Fellowship.............. Meredith McElroy
Finance.................. Clem Cole
Music Minister....... Maggie Marshall
Outreach............... Dave Kuzara
Pastoral Care......... Joy Chadwick
Saints Alive............ Patrick Blumeris
SaintsAlive e-mail:.. ... saintsalive@yahoo.com
Stewardship........... Steve Grillo
Thrift Shop............. Carol Cannistraro
Youth Group.......... to be filled
Webmaster............ Richard Coles
Web site................ www.allsaintschelmsford.org
… for the February 2006 Saints Alive! is
January 21st, 2006
Please leave your articles in the Saints Alive! mailbox in the church office, or send them via email to SaintsAlive@yahoo.com
Thanks