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SAINTS Alive! THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH All Saints’ Church Chelmsford, MA January 2007
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SAINTS Alive! THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH All Saints’ Church Chelmsford, MA January 2007
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From the Rector
In our small corner...
Every now and then I enjoy visiting the web site Ship of Fools (www.shipoffools.com), which describes itself as “The magazine of Christian unrest.” It is a British based satirical website that reminds Christians to not take themselves too seriously. One of its prominent features is “The Mystery Worshiper.” These are reviews of church services from all over the world. Much like a restaurant critic who secretly dines out and then writes a review, the Mystery Worshipers worship out and report their findings.
The reviews include a description of the building and location and a series of factual data, like the name of the service, how full the building was, and how the after-service coffee was. They quickly shift to questions about their subjective experience of worshiping with this specific Christian congregation. Did anyone welcome you personally? Was your pew comfortable? How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere? They also ask about distractions during the service as well as rating the sermon on a 1-10 scale. Often with biting wit they describe which part of the service was like being in heaven, “And which part was like being in... er... the other place?” The review concludes with the telling questions: Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? and What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The reviews are often humorous and tend to be written by those who love the Church while having decided opinions about worship. I like reading the reviews because they make me reflect and wonder how All Saints’ would come off in such a review. It can be a scary thing to be analyzed in such a way, but it can also help us see our own strengths and foibles. It is good for us to ask these questions of ourselves. Our worship, our hospitality and our activities are statements to the world about who God is for us. I dare say that nothing we do is unique, but the whole of our corporate life can not be replicated anywhere.
As we begin a new year, I invite each one of us to reflect on our corporate life and continually question how it makes us glad to be a Christian as well as how it might make a visitor feel the same. And in those ways we fall short, let us have the courage to evaluate ourselves and the perseverance to seek God’s will in all that we do.
Peace,
Tom
Adult Confirmation and Reception
We will be offering an Adult Confirmation and Reception class beginning in January. The time and content of the class will be designed around the interests and schedules of the participants. So, if you are interested, please contact Tom Barrington or Amy Hunter as soon as possible.
Confirmation is an adult affirmation of one’s Baptism.
Reception is for those already confirmed in another Christian church who now wish to live out their baptism in the Episcopal Church.
Both Confirmation and Reception are conferred by the laying on of hand and prayers of the Bishop. The service will be on Saturday, March 31st here at All Saints’ when our parish hosts the Deanery Confirmation Service. We will be joined by participants from a number of other congregations.
Epiphany Family Potluck
Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day, is on Saturday, January 6. We will observe this 12th day of Christmas at All Saints’ with a family potluck and a special service. We will begin with dinner in the parish hall at 5:30p.m. and then move into the church for a time to hear the story, and to receive a visit from three special visitors.
For the potluck, please bring a main dish, salad, or dessert to share. Please come at 5 p.m. if you are able to help set up.
We will also acknowledge Epiphany on Sunday, January 7 with lessons and hymns appropriate to the day.
Quiet Day
Advent Quiet Day - “Quiet Success”
We had a lovely Advent Quiet Day on Saturday, December 9, 2006 where the theme of listening was shared throughout the day. A few items offered during the day are here for you below.
We opened with the most beautiful Advent bidding prayer from the Book of Common Prayer and a wonderful poem by T.S. Eliot. The day was “chimed” on the hours for quiet time that was held for fifty minutes. The ten minutes before each hour were open for people coming in and out and for breaks and snacks. We were blessed with about ten people throughout the day coming and going, some staying for just an hour or just for lunch or stopping in for a moment with friends and a little snack – who can resist Amy’s home-baked cranberry muffins? At noon we enjoyed a simple salad lunch and warm sharing and conversation (it’s the break in the quiet day!). From 2-2:30 we closed the day and shared as any wished. It was concluded to be a restful day in the midst of a busy season. Many commented that it made a space for them that was helpful and that a sense of contentment was evident at the end of our day.
More Quiet Days are to follow during 2007 and we invite you in advance to consider joining for an hour to see what it is about. If you have ideas, dreams, or hopes about future Quiet Days, we welcome your input. Please speak to Amy Hunter or Lynne Grillo.
Taken from Everyday Simplicity by Robert J. Wicks
“The contemplative is not the one who prepares his mind for a particular message…but [someone] who remains empty” (Thomas Merton). As I sit in prayer with you, Lord, help me not to look for you in a particular way. Help me not to simply seek answers from you or for you to meet the needs that I perceive I have, but to let you reveal yourself to me in your own surprising way. Amen.
Taken from The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Every sound is born out of silence, dies back into silence, and during its life span is surrounded by silences. Silence enables the sound to be. It is an intrinsic but unmanifested part of every sound, every musical note, every song every word. The Unmanifested is present in this world as silence. This is why it has been said that nothing in this world is so like God as silence. All you have to do is pay attention to it. Even during conversation, become conscious of the gaps between words, the brief silent intervals between sentences. As you do that, the dimension of stillness grows within you. You cannot pay attention to silence without simultaneously becoming still within. Silence without, stillness within.
Lynne Grillo
On Saturday, January 13th, there will be a dinner at All Saints’ Church to thank all those from both All Saints’ and Central Congregational who supported the 2006 West Virginia Workcamp. The dinner will be at 6:00 pm and will feature ham and beans with assorted desserts. There will also be a slide show with photos from the 2005 Workcamp. Workcampers will also be on hand to talk about their experience.
Tickets are $6.00 and are available from Dave Kuzara (978-256-5484). If you supported this group last year or are just interested in the program please consider attending. If you are a youth who will be 16 by June and are thinking about going to West Virginia in 2007, you can learn about the workcamp and meet others who’ve gone if you go to the dinner.
February Getaway
Parishwide 29th Anniversary
Winter Weekend Getaway Feb 2-4, 2007
It's getting to be that time to think about attending next year's Winter-Weekend at Sentinel Baptist camp in Tuftonburo, NH. This parish event will be held from Friday afternoon, Feb 2nd, through Sunday afternoon, Feb 4th, 2007 (it sounds far off, but it's less than 5 weeks from now!). This is a great event for parishioners (especially families) to get to know each other and have a great weekend away at the same time.
All Saints' Church has held Winter Weekend at Sentinel Lodge since 1978. This means that this will be the 29th anniversary of All Saints' having a winter retreat at Sentinel!
Camp Sentinel is a Baptist camp located in the remote town of Tuftonburo, NH (about 2 ¼ hours from Chelmsford). 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 45-50 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.”
Contact the parish office at 978-256-5673 if you would like to attend or need more information. You can also email Steve Grillo at steve@odic.com with any questions.
Peace,
Steve Grillo
PARISH PRAYER LIST
January 2006
In the Sunday Bulletin under the section on “those in our parish in need of healing,” we list those with more acute needs. Saints Alive now carries a list of more “on-going” concerns to bring to God in prayer.
We will make the description you provide as general or specific as you indicate. Please let us know what you would like included. We encourage you to clip out these names and keep them in your prayers.
If you would like your name to be added or removed from any of the prayers lists, please contact Darlene in the Church Office.
Those who are at home, in nursing homes or living with chronic illnesses
· Gladys Stephens, Palm Manor Nursing Home
· Eleanor Ferreira at home
· Millie Adams at home
· Mary Buote at home
· Grace Wardell, Sunny Acres Nursing and Rehab Center
· Dora Smith, Betsy Eisemann’s Mother
· Priscilla Smith at home
· Doug Grant at home, chronic back pain
· Chaz Freeman, waiting for placement
· Debbie Anderton, Dora Carr’s daughter
· Alistair Redman, son of Edwin and Janet Redman, missing
Vacancies in the Parish:
Leadership positions to be filled for:
Fellowship;
Endowment;
Youth Group;
a representative for United Thank Offering.
Bottle and Can Annual Report
It is with pleasure that I announce the total income from your generous contributions of recyclable bottles and cans. Over the past year, we have redeemed $400.25. With this total, we have contributed $2099.55 over the last 9 years!
I would like to thank all those who have participated and encourage everyone to save your bottles and cans for the coming year. Please leave them in the closet just outside the Parish Hall kitchen.
Carol Douglas
Coming Soon to the
Parish Hall Near You!
The Outreach/Mission Committee is sponsoring a showing of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” on Wednesday January 10th in the Parish Hall with an extended discussion to follow on the next Wednesday, January 17th in the Meeting Room.
Won’t you mark your calendars now and invite your friends from other churches to join us on Wednesday January 10th at 7:30 p.m. to see this well-reviewed documentary.
Liz Marshall
Worship Assistants Needed
Have you ever thought of being part of the dedicated team that assists in our weekly worship services? Opportunities available at both services include reading the lessons, leading the prayers of the people and other parts of the service, and assisting with the distribution of wine and bread. Training is available for all of these areas. Please speak to Maggie Marshall or Tom Barrington if you feel called to serve in any of these capacities.
Churches and institutions we are asked to consider especially during the month of January are listed in this section.
Sunday, January 7, 2007 The First Sunday after Epiphany
Christ Church (Old North), Boston
St. Augustine's & St. Martin's Church, Boston
Church of St. John the Evangelist, Boston
St. Stephen's Church, Boston
Boston Harbor Deanery
Sunday, January 14, 2007 The Second Sunday after Epiphany
Trinity Church, Boston
Episcopal Chaplaincy at Boston University, Boston
Emmanuel Church, Braintree
Trinity Church, Bridgewater
Asiamerica Ministries
Sunday, January 21, 2007 The Third Sunday after Epiphany
St. Paul's Church, Brockton
All Saints' Church, Brookline
Church of Our Saviour, Brookline
The Diocesan Council
Diocesan Business Systems and Property Consultants
Sunday, January 28, 2007 The Fourth 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, February 4, 2007 The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Christ Church, Cambridge
St. Bartholomew's Church, Cambridge
St. James' Church, Cambridge
St. Peter's Church, Cambridge
Lesley University Chaplaincy, Cambridge
Charles River Deanery
Ten Things about All Saints’
By Lily Marshall (age 7)
1. It’s great
2. It has prayer
3. God is with you
4. You have friends
5. You get to have coffee hour!
6. It’s so much FUN!
7. You must be quiet
8. We have communion
9. You’re special
And the best thing to know about All Saints’ Church is:
10. You get to pray with all the people around you!
Pantomime Play-Readings
in January
Play readings will be held on Monday evenings in the Blue room at 7 pm on the following dates:
Mondays January 8, 15, 22, 29, 2006
We may move rehearsals to the parish hall as possible logistically.
The play itself has been revised: it is the All Saints’ Episcopal Church Abridged Version, complete with references to a cold stone church in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, a statue of a lion further north at the Halls of Learning, a hard-to-find brand of ginger ale, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new entertainment center, named not exit or egress or lychgate but Way Out.
The original date, having been cast in something other than Westford granite, has migrated from the end of Christmas (twelfth night January 6) to the beginning of Lent (well, Mardi Gras [Shrove Tuesday] February 27, 2007).
If you don’t make it to the world premiere, you won’t hear who gets to say “You’ll get over it!” … You’ll wonder who said this line.
… and you will NOT get over it.
Contact me if you would like to take part in this world premiere play (No pressure: lines not learned can be read instead!) Contact Patrick Blumeris at 978-256-9638 or by e-mail at blumeris@comcast.net.
So: keep the date free for Kurt and Cherry at the parish hall on February 27, 2007.
Food for Thought
A cautionary e-mail with some pithy perspectives included the following. (Note that the punctuation term “full stop” is used outside the US to indicate a period.)
26 Beautiful One-liners
1. Give God what's right – not what's left
2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end – God’s way leads to an endless hope.
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma – but never let him be the full stop.
6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a full stop.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don't change God's message – His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12. When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead – It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily – walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride – he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men – you catch them & He'll clean them.
25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
26. Read the Bible – It will scare the hell out of you.
From the Associate for Adult Christian Formation
Upcoming Formation Dates and Events
Jan 9 Tues “Prayer as First Resort” Adult Education 7:30-9:00PM Blue Room
Jan 10 Wed An Inconvenient Truth – Watch & discuss – 7:30PM Parish Hall
Jan 17 Wed Radical Welcome – Book Study 9:30-11:00AM Blue Room
Jan 17 Wed Continue discussion of An Inconvenient Truth 7:30PM Meeting Room
Jan 22 Mon Radical Welcome – Book Study 7:30-9:00PM Blue Room
Jan 24 Wed Radical Welcome – Book Study 9:30-11:00AM Blue Room
Jan 28 Sun Korean Church celebrates anniversary
Jan 29 Mon Radical Welcome – Book Study 7:30-9:00PM Blue Room
Jan 31 Wed Radical Welcome – Book Study 9:30-11:00AM Blue Room
Feb 11 Sun Annual Meeting
Feb 14 Wed Bishop Tom Shaw meets with vestry and other leaders
Adult Formation in 2007
At the Province I Education Convocation last November, a colleague asked me what part of formation particularly energizes me right now (for her it’s Sabbath). Immediately I answered, Hospitality. I think that Mission and Hospitality go hand in hand, that to join God’s Mission and to live out the Hospitality of the Body of Christ, we need to know who we are, need to know who our neighbor is, and need to know how God is calling us to presence and action in this world. I continue to be excited about the work done by the Learning Team and the Outreach Committee over the past year. The vestry and other leaders of All Saints’ are asking what it means to have Mission as the focus of who we are as a parish, what it means to be a spiritual leader, and what structure and staffing this parish needs to do and be what God is calling us into. This is an exciting time to be part of All Saints’ Church in Chelmsford!
In the months ahead, adult formation hopes to support individuals in identifying and supporting
their spiritual practices and to help the parish look at its corporate hospitality. I hope you will consider joining:
o “Prayer as First Resort,” an exploration of spiritual practices. Too often folks turn to prayer as the last thing when all other avenues have failed. What if we prayed first? prayed often? prayed about what matters most to us? Beginning Tuesday, January 9 we will invite people to look at specific spiritual practices in a hands-on, go-home-and-try-this way. Check your bulletin for information and join us second Tuesdays, 7:30- 9:00PM in the Blue Room.
o A 5-week book study of Stephanie Spellers Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation. Spellers’ book “…is a practical theological guide for congregations that want to move beyond mere inclusivity toward becoming a place where welcoming ‘The Other’ is taken seriously and where engaging God’s mission becomes more than just a catch-phrase.” Wednesday morning sessions will be 9:30- 11:00, January 17 to February 14. Monday evening sessions will be 7:30- 9:00, January 22 to February 19. Books cost $17. Please email me at fifimom@juno.com if you would like me to order you a copy.
In Lent we hope to offer Connect? What Does It Mean to be Part of a Eucharistic Community? Connect? is a six-week exploration of what it can mean to connect in an intentional way with others around the Eucharist. This course should especially appeal to the many folks who enjoyed via media so much last year. I hope that Connect? will offer similar opportunities for fellowship, sharing and deepening of spiritual life here at All Saints’.
Both our individual spiritual lives and our Sunday worship as a gathered parish become more satisfying and nourishing as we pay some attention and seek to live what we say we believe, even in the smallest ways. I hope you will take even a tiny step this coming year into being more intentional in how you seek to know God and your faith in a more genuine way.
in peace,
Amy Hunter
Associate for Adult Christian Formation
Buildings and Grounds
In the December Vestry meeting, B&G presented the 2007 Budget request. As promised, the ‘projects’ section of the request was directed toward Energy related tasks. Several potential ideas were discussed; as well as a somewhat unusual approach calling for the development of the tasks. Our Energy Study Group (the informal gathering held in early December) will ‘meet’ again at some coffee hour after the budget is announced. We will look at exactly where the energy expenditures are going; then the ‘group’ will begin to develop ideas as to where the best savings for the budgeted amounts can be obtained. We ask for community support for these requested items; they are the only ones that ‘pay us back’ physically as well as spiritually. (If you believe that energy saving is a moral imperative; personally, I’d rather send a dollar to the needy of the world rather than to Keyspan!)
If you have interests in this area, and particularly if you would like to ‘study’ a particular issue, please ‘stay tuned’ for the next announcement.
Help will be needed with ideas such as: Does it ‘pay’ to get higher efficiency modern furnace(s)? Now that the meeting room will be used more fully by the Day Care, what is the impact of the heat loss from the 1960 vintage windows? Should we put a wood stove in the Rector’s Study? Neither Steve Grillo nor I have all the questions, much less the answers; so join us at the next meeting!
PS. Thank you for the offers of donated amplifiers for the sound system, and thanks to Steve for his efforts on Parish Hall acoustics.
Current Vestry Members
David Cahill Beth Anne Economou Lois Freeman Derick Gates
Steve Grillo Doug Hausler
Deb Dutton (note-vestry is filling two openings)
Adrienne Spear, Senior Warden
Melanie Hickcox, Treasurer
Meredith McElroy, Clerk
(All phone numbers are area code 978 unless indicated)
Church Office 978-256-5673
Senior Warden....... Adrienne Spear
Junior Warden........ Ron Cannistraro
Treasurer............... Melanie Hickcox
Clerk..................... Meredith McElroy
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 ........... to be filled
Environmental Stewardship
Committee............. Liz Marshall
Fellowship.............. to be filled
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 2007 Saints Alive! is
January 21st, 2007
Please leave your articles in the Saints Alive! mailbox in the church office, or send them via email to SaintsAlive@yahoo.com. Thanks.
