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SAINTS Alive! THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH All Saints’ Church Chelmsford, MA March 2008
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SAINTS Alive! THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH All Saints’ Church Chelmsford, MA March 2008
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Holy Week and Easter is upon us. Easter has not been this early since 1913 so it is catching me by surprise again and again. It reminds me that the Resurrection is not tied to my schedule; it is a remembrance of God’s action in the world. Please join us as we re-live the drama of Jesus’ death and resurrection as well as renew our faith in God’s grace and love.
Peace,
Tom
Palm Saturday - March 15th 3:30PM- Retelling the stories of Holy Week and Family Dinner.
Palm Sunday – March 16th 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM
Procession of Palms, reading of the Passion and Holy Eucharist
Holy Week Morning Prayer at 7:00 AM
Monday, March 17 thru Saturday, March 22 - in the Chapel
Wednesday Noon – March 19th
Healing Service and Holy Eucharist
Maundy Thursday 7:00 PM – March 20th
Celebration of the Last Supper and Stripping of the Altar
Good Friday – March 21st
Vigil Service at 12:00 Noon in the Chapel
Stations of the Cross and Tenebrae 7:00 PM
Easter Vigil Saturday 7:00 PM – March 22nd
A service of recounting salvation history and the first celebration of the Resurrection. This service combines storytelling, contemplative prayer, and a little rock music as we light the Easter fire, bring the light into the sanctuary and celebrate the Eucharist gathered together around the Altar.
7:30 AM in the Chapel
9:00 & 11:00: Festival Eucharist with Choirs and Brass
In its discussion of God’s abiding relationship with His chosen people, and priesthood, faith, and hard times, the letter to the Hebrews includes the following:
May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in all goodness so that you may do His will; and may He make of us what He would have us be through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever!
Amen.
Tomb, thou shalt not hold him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right;
Faith and Hope triumphant say,
Christ will rise on Easter Day.
Phillips Brooks
A four-week series begins on Wednesday, March 26, 7:30 – 9:00 PM to view and discuss the PBS documentary that examines our myths about race and the effect it has on our day-to-day lives. This series is a joint presentation with All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Central Congregational Church, and the Boston Fair Housing Alliance. All are welcome and the series is open to the public. All Saints’ is hosting the series in the Cranberry Room
Everyone can tell a Nubian from a Norwegian, so why not divide people into different races? That's the question explored in "The Difference Between Us," the first hour of the series. This episode shows that despite what we've always believed, the world's peoples simply don't come bundled into distinct biological groups. We begin by following a dozen students, including Black athletes and Asian string players, who sequence and compare their own DNA to see who is more genetically similar. The results surprise the students and the viewer, when they discover their closest genetic matches are as likely to be with people from other "races" as their own.
Much of the program is devoted to understanding why. We look at several scientific discoveries that illustrate why humans cannot be subdivided into races and how there isn't a single characteristic, trait - or even one gene - that can be used to distinguish all members of one race from all members of another.
Session 2: The Story We Tell
April 2, 2008
It's true that race has always been with us, right? Wrong. Ancient peoples stigmatized "others" on the grounds of language, custom, class, and especially religion, but they did not sort people according to physical differences. It turns out that the concept of race is a recent invention, only a few hundred years old, and the history and evolution of the idea are deeply tied to the development of the U.S. "The Story We Tell" is an eye-opening tale of how deep social inequalities came to be rationalized as natural - deflecting attention from the social practices and public policies that benefited whites at the expense of others.
Session 3: The House We Live In
April 9, 2008
If race doesn't exist biologically, what is it? And why should it matter? "The House We Live In," is the first film about race to focus not on individual attitudes and behavior but on the ways our institutions and policies advantage some groups at the expense of others. Its subject is the "unmarked" race: white people. We see how benefits quietly and often invisibly accrue to white people, not necessarily because of merit or hard work, but because of the racialized nature of our laws, courts, customs, and perhaps most pertinently, housing.
"Colorblind" policies which ignore race only perpetuate these inequities. As Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun wrote, "To get beyond racism we must first take account of race. There is no other way." As “The House We Live In” shows us, until we address the legacy of past discrimination and confront the historical meanings of race, the dream of equality will remain out of reach.
Session 4: How Shall We in Chelmsford Respond?
April 16, 2008
Our last session will be dedicated to summing up our conversations and talking about ways in which we as individuals, congregations and members of this community may respond to issues of race and social justice.
For more information about the documentary please see:
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-about-01.htm.
The descriptions above of the three episodes came from this web site.
Please contact the Rev. Tom Barrington for more information.
Mark your Calendars!! Saturday, May 17, 2008
RIM Benefit Concert featuring Spirit Fiddle at All Saints’ Church at 7:00 PM.
The Annual Report is consists of the hard work of many individuals. Unfortunately sometimes reports written and submitted on time get lost. This report on the masonry work done last summer did not get into the report. We apologize to Norm Douglas who not only did so much work but submitted his report well in advance of the deadline. It has been added to the official Annual Report as well as printed below.
Over the course of the spring and summer, an effort was initiated to finish the pointing of the Cloister area. Last year, we had a professional mason – Jim Murray – working on the street-side wall of the cloister. He attempted to both point and repair a bow that has developed over the years from the weight of the slate roof. A quick examination will show that he was unsuccessful with the straightening. He left an orange line or string from the church end to the chapel end to show the bow.
The job of pointing was taken on since the back wall was in very poor repair. It, like most of the cloister, had been pointed several times by various masons with varying methods and materials. In all cases, the effort was, in fact, pointing – the process of fixing the joints between stones to prevent moisture from entering the seams and adding to the damage when it freezes. The new effort, however, quickly turned into a sort of re-build since the superficial efforts of the past were applied over a core that is very soft. The center of all of the columns, buttresses, and supporting walls has a very soft, sand like material. If it was ever cement, it has deteriorated to powder. My opinion is that it is cinders from an old coal furnace used as a filler.
Once started, it became clear that just pointing would accomplish little beyond providing another several years of external view of a solid structure. The effort was taken to remove as much of the soft material in the middle of the structural materials as possible and replacing it with Portland cement. This dramatically increased the scope of the job but should provide a much more solid structure. All of the garden side of the back wall has been completed as well as the areas under the openings in the cloister wall. About half of the inside of the back wall has been completed with the expectation that it can be completed in the spring.
Since the Cloister is a very integral part of our physical plant, we need to find ways to keep it standing! There have been several people who have mentioned knowledge and contact with structural engineers. I strongly urge that we engage one as a volunteer or for a fee to make an assessment.
Respectfully submitted,
Norm Douglas
We are hosting a young woman, Mariatu, from Sierra Leone who has been seeking asylum. She is staying with Becky and Vern from Christ Church United in Lowell. Doreen Rinas (Trinity Lutheran) writes to let us know:
Great News! Mariatu has been granted her asylum!!!! Becky and Vern got the email on Thursday (February 14th) and Mariatu has been jumping for joy ever since!!!!!
Also, I encourage each of our congregations to invite Mariatu for a time at your worship service to introduce her to your congregation. A couple or family having Mariatu for a day would be fun for all involved. We really enjoyed her positive nature and her fun spirit when she was at our house for a couple of weeks while Vern and Becky were in Kenya. One of the couples in our church took Mariatu to a Boston museum and an IMAX movie - all three enjoyed each other's company! I would encourage this visiting for each of our congregations. Please let me know if I can be of any help with this.
Doreen Rinas (Trinity Lutheran)
Chairperson of the RIM Chelmsford Cluster
If you are interested in learning more about RIM or helping please speak to Tom Barrington.
We would love to have more involvement from members of All Saints’ Church. All are invited to the monthly RIM meetings. The next meeting is on Thursday, March 27 at 7:00 at Trinity Lutheran Church
Tom Barrington
Last month Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell announced that they have secured land in Westford at 18 Williams Avenue where they will begin building the first “Green” home. This is great news and an opportunity for members of All Saints’ Church to get directly involved in a building project. To do so, we need one or two individuals who will contact the Lowell Chapter of Habitat and recruit workers from the parish. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex in the back of the church. Their web site is http://www.lowellhabitat.org. Please speak to Tom Barrington or David Kuzara for more information.
“Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life and ministry?” – From BCP Baptismal Service
Please help All Saints’ answer with a loud “We will!” The programs for our older youth have suffered low attendance and low adult support for the past couple years. We’ve been told by the youth that they want a program that supports different age groups, that includes bible study, that includes activities, that includes worship participation and that includes fun. The Youth Task Force has started a program for this year while making plans for next.
We need your help!
We have leaders to run 4 week blocks for the rest of this year, but our safe church policies require 2 adults. Please consider being that second adult for a block.
We have one combined class, but would love to offer 2 classes based on grade. Please consider signing up to run a 4 week block this year or next. Materials can be provided – or perhaps you may have something in mind to share?
We will need other kinds of support, from prayers to transportation. Please help by signing up to be asked for here-and-there support. We hope this group of youth-supporting adults will be the foundation that holds up our youth programs going forward.
At annual meeting we shared ways we could all help:
“Sign up as a second adult”
“Pray for youth and youth events”
“Help lead a class, or study, or craft, or skill”
“Encourage youth’s regular church attendance”
“Help with a youth-led service”
“Get to know our youth, support their interests”
“Be a transportation provider”
There is a signup for 2nd adults on specific dates and general Youth Supporters that will be in the Narthex or Parish Hall. Please say “I will” with your name!
Many thanks from the Youth Task Force! If you have any questions, please ask:
Fiona Vidal-White, Denise Sullivan, Maggie Marshall, Marlene Hillman, Joan Thomas, Adrienne Spear, Nicole Sullivan, Laura Marshall, Nancy March, Debbie Psilopoulos, Mike Thompson, Brian Hunter.
To Love and Serve the Lord: a Progressive Lenten program with a simple meal, speaker and prayer
Tuesdays in Lent 6:30 – 8:00 PM
March 4th at St. James’ Church, 119 Washington St., Groveland
Deanery Assembly on organizing and participating in mission trips
March 11th at St Mark's Church, 75 Cold Spring Rd., Westford
Diane Smith speaking on Medical Mission to Maseno Hospital in Kenya
March 18th at St. Anne’s Church, 8 Kirk St., Lowell
Passover Seder and reflections on Refugee Ministry
All Are Welcome
Have you ever wondered what the Finance Committee is all about? Is it all about budgets and audits and other arcane financial stuff? The short answer is "no", and in the coming months I will be writing about all the things that the Finance Committee is doing. This month I would like to introduce the committee and give you a general overview of what we do.
The Finance Committee currently has several regular members: Mike Brodeur, Clem Cole, Kevin Davis, Bob Grimes and Dave Cahill. Melanie Hickcox, parish treasurer, also attends most meetings. Not everyone can attend every meeting; we usually have about four folks in attendance. None of us has any special background in financial matters; in fact, none of our day jobs has anything to do with finance.
The committee is chartered with advising the vestry on all financial matters facing the parish, including developing the parish operating budget, reviewing insurance, and ensuring that the parish's financial books are audited. We work closely with the treasurer, especially when we are developing the parish budget.
The Finance Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm in the Lower Meeting Room of the church. Newcomers are always welcome. If you are interested in participating or just have questions please feel free to talk to me after church, or send me a note at mike.brodeur@yahoo.com.
Mike Brodeur
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 carries a list of more “on-going” concerns to bring to God in prayer.
We will keep the description you provide as general or specific as you indicate. Please let us know what you would like included. We also 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 prayer lists, please contact Darlene in the Church Office.
· 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 Eisenmann’s mother
· Priscilla Smith at home
· Doug Grant at home, chronic back pain
· Chaz Freeman, transition to new home
· Debbie Anderton, Dora Carr’s daughter
· Dorothy Eaton, Willow Manor
· Bea Iams at home
Ministering at Nyahela Sub-Parish in Kenya:
Paul Onyoyo, Dorcus Esilaba, Shem Bwonya, Elizabeth Osiolo.
Nyahela sub-parish currently receives SaintsAlive. If you would like to write directly to them, please note their address:
ACK: Anglican Church of Kenya
ACK NYAHELA PARISH
P.O. BOX 201
LUANDA - KENYA
CODE : 50307
Upcoming Formation Dates and Events
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Mar 1 |
Field Trip to shop for furniture for the Blue Room |
Contact Amy Hunter fifimom@juno.com |
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Mar 2 |
Outreach Focus on Parish Partnership |
8:00 & 10:00 services |
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Mar 4 |
Deanery Assembly on Missions |
6:30- 8:00PM St James’, Groveland |
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Mar 5 |
Lenten Bible Study Gospel of Mark |
10:30- 11:45 AM Blue Room |
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Mar 7- 8 |
Vestry Retreat |
Please pray for your parish leadership |
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Mar 8 |
Workshop on Transformational Leadership Creating Radically Welcoming Communities |
9:00AM- 2:00PM Episcopal Divinity School |
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Mar 9 Time Change! Turn your clock ahead one hour |
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Mar 11 |
Prayer as First Resort Gratitude as a Lenten Practice |
7:30- 8:45PM Blue Room |
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Merrimack Deanery Lenten Forums on Mission Medicine and Mission |
6:30- 8:00PM St Mark’s, Westford |
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Mar 12 |
Lenten Bible Study Gospel of Mark |
10:30- 11:45 AM Blue Room |
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Mar 15 |
Palm Saturday Intergenerational event to prepare for Holy Week |
3:30- 5:00PM Parish Hall Supper at 5:00PM |
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March 16- 22: Holy Week |
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Mar 17 |
Morning Prayer (Monday) |
7:00AM Chapel |
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Mar 18 |
Morning Prayer (Tuesday) |
7:00AM Chapel |
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Mar 18 |
Merrimack Deanery Lenten Forums Passover Seder |
6:30- 8:00PM at St Anne’s, Lowell |
Upcoming Formation Dates and Events (contd)
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March 16- 22: Holy Week (continued) |
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Mar 19 |
Morning Prayer (Wednesday) |
7:00AM Chapel |
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Eucharist and Healing Service |
Noon Chapel |
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March 20 Maundy Thursday |
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Morning Prayer |
7:00AM Chapel |
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Maundy Thursday Service |
7:00PM Church |
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Mar 21 |
Good Friday |
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Morning Prayer |
7:00AM Chapel |
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Good Friday Service |
Noon Chapel |
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Good Friday Service |
7:00PM Church |
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Mar 22 |
Morning Prayer |
7:00AM Chapel |
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Mar 22 |
Easter Vigil |
7:00- 9:00PM |
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Mar 23 |
Easter Sunday |
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Mar 26 |
Anti-Racism Program |
7:30- 9:00PM Cranberry Room |
We are entering into the depths of Lent, drawing nearer and nearer to Holy Week, with the invitation to enter into the events of Jesus’ final week, his death on the cross, his being laid in the tomb, and his resurrection. Year after year we are invited to look beyond and deeper than questions of literal explanations and metaphorical explanations to the question of How is Jesus’ story my story? How can we move beyond words and ideas and proofs to a living faith and trust that transforms our lives and the world around us?
Lent at All Saints’ is rich with spiritual nourishment. Tuesday evenings are the Merrimack Deanery Forums on Mission, hosted by the parishes in the Greater Lowell area. Wednesday mornings here in the Blue Room is the Lenten Bible Study of the healing stories in the Gospel of Mark. You are welcome and urged to join either of these programs, even if you have not been to previous sessions.
In addition to these special Lenten programs, we offer our ongoing Sunday morning discussion of the gospel reading for the day, 9:00- 9:45AM in the Blue Room. On Tuesday, March 11 our monthly spiritual practices class will consider gratitude as a Lenten practice.
Most of all, I urge you to participate in the services and activities of Holy Week. On March 15, Palm Saturday is an event for folks of all ages, for families and individuals to gather to experience the events of Holy Week and their meaning for us today. Monday through Saturday mornings there will be Morning Prayer in the Chapel at 7:00AM. This service lasts no longer than half an hour so that folks can be on their way to work and other activities. There will be special services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
We celebrate Easter itself with all sorts of flourishes! There’s the Vigil on Saturday evening, 7:00- 9:00PM in the Parish Hall. This is an intimate, creative, experiential service with story-telling and contemporary music. There are three traditional services on Easter morning. The passion, death and resurrection are our story. Come and celebrate!
I wish you a holy and deep Lent and the joy of the Resurrection this Easter!
in peace,
Amy Hunter
Associate for Adult Christian Formation
Prayer as First Resort: Gratitude as a Lenten Practice:
Lenten practice is all about denial and deprivation and giving things up, right?
Prayer as First Resort invites you to consider the goal of our spiritual practices-- loving relationship with God, others, creation, and ourselves. We may be called to sacrifice and self-examination in Lent and beyond Lent, but the purpose is always for Love.
On March 11 come and consider how gratitude might be part of your Lenten observation! Join us for prayer, reflection and conversation, as well as ideas to take home and try in our personal spiritual journeys.
Please join us on March 11 and on any second Tuesday evening. .
What: Prayer as First Resort: Practicing our Faith
When: Second Tuesday evenings of each month, 7:30- 9:00PM
Where: Blue Room
Lenten Bible Study Wednesday Mornings
Wednesday mornings in Lent, All Saints’ continues its Lenten Bible Study of the stories about healing in the Gospel of Mark.
Join us in the Blue Room, 10:30- 11:45AM, March 5 and 12. We invite participants to attend the Wednesday noon Eucharist in the chapel right after each class.
There is no preparation needed. Each week we will dive into a few of the healing stories to learn more about the message of Mark’s gospel and to consider how we are called to the holy work of compassion. We are using Dr. David Urion’s book, Compassion as a Subversive Activity as a resource-- you are welcome to read along, but doing so is not required.
Contact Amy Hunter for more information, 978-256-5673, ext. 14 or fifimom@juno.com.
"Sharing Jesus: Talking the Talk" - Diocesan Spring Learning Event with Marcus J. Borg
Mar 15 2008 9:00am- 1:00pm Sherman Union, Boston University
The Episcopal Diocese of MA will host its 2008 Spring Learning Event, which will take place on Saturday, March 15, 2008, at Sherman Union at Boston University. The special guest speaker will be Marcus J. Borg, Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture at Oregon State University. Often cited as one of the leading historical Jesus scholars of his generation, Borg is the author of numerous books, including the bestsellers Jesus: A New Vision and Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time. This event is an occasion for reflection and refreshment in community with others who have a desire to listen, learn and explore together themes of deepening personal Christian belief and ways to speak about Jesus and faith in public life and local settings.
As preparation for the event, the organizers recommend reading some of Borg's work.
To register, go to www.diomass.org
For more information, contact Amy Cook at the Diocesan Resource Center, (617-482-4826, ext. 645), acook@diomass.org
Marcus Borg event on March 15 to be webcast
Excitement is building about the diocese's spring learning event, Sharing Jesus: Talking the Talk, with bestselling author Marcus Borg.
The event, which takes place March 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Boston University's Sherman Union, will be simulcast through the diocesan web site.
Web viewers will be able to access the web feed from a link on the front page of the diocesan web site, diomass.org. Viewers must have javascript enabled for their browser (the default) and they must have the latest version of Adobe Flash.
Workshops on Transformational Leadership at Episcopal Divinity School (EDS)
EDS will offer three workshops for building up parishes this spring. Amy Hunter, Associate for Adult Christian Formation, and Fiona Vidal-White, Youth Missioner, plan to attend and welcome parishioners to join them. Pre-registration is required. If you wish to attend, please contact Amy and she will include you in a group registration (which gives us a price break).
Creating Radically Welcoming Communities
Facilitated by Stephanie Spellers and Arrington Chambliss
March 8, 2008 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Creating Radically Welcoming Communities explores the practice of
“radical welcome” for individuals and communities, which is embracing the
transforming power and presence of “The Other.” This workshop will also guide
participants through the practices of preparing communities for change,
especially reckoning with the fear of change.
Leading Reconciling Communities
Facilitated by Judith Oleson and Tulaine Shabazz Marshall
April 5, 2008 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Leading Reconciling Communities engages participants in the nature of
conflict and healing in organizational systems. Participants are encouraged to
learn specific facilitation skills for healing historical wounds and embedding
reconciling practices in parish and other organizational settings.
As many of you know, All Saints' has been partnering with Central Congregational Church for the past few years with a mission trip to West Virginia for youth ages 16 and up. Thanks to the bond we have forged with this church and to Dave Kuzara's initiative, we have been invited to join Central Congregational's youth mission trip to Lubec Maine, geared to 7-8 graders.
This year's trip is from August 17-23 and is for ages 10-13 with a parent, and 14 and up with the group as a whole. Lubec is at the easternmost part of Maine, in Washington County, which is the poorest county in all of New England. The organization that coordinates work is called “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” and we would stay in their campground, in bunk houses, cook our own meals, and use it as a base camp. The people being helped are elderly, disabled, or low income residents, all without the means or ability to keep up their own homes. This area is also a summer home for over 9000 migrant workers who come to pick blueberries.
Types of projects done by volunteers include painting, insulating, simple carpentry, and building things like porches and handicapped ramps.
The skill most needed is the desire to serve.
We are hoping that there is interest within our parish. Cindy Dussault and I are committed to keeping this line of communication open with Central Congo, and time is of the essence since some fundraising has to be done. We would like to meet briefly after church on March 9 to show a brief video on the trip and to answer any questions you may have. Please contact me at maggie@ccc.com if you have questions now.
In Christ,
Maggie Marshall
I'm writing this on President's Day, at the end of a second very full day. Yesterday, 2/17, was a study in contrasting worships for me. As many of you know, we had no heat at church yesterday. I begin each Sunday very early with a wonderful, solitary practice in a heated church. Yesterday, I got the solitary part, and that was it. The lack of heat was totally disheartening. In contrast, the way that everyone rallied to transform the All Saints’ parish hall into a worship space was extremely heartening. Bringing not only all of the altar “stuff” but also all of the pew “stuff” was no easy feat, yet many, many people pitched in to first set up the space, and then return the space to its original state.
I felt sorry for those with very young children, because the parish hall set-up did not provide extra wiggle room. Since I was sitting at the piano, once again at the proverbial “back of the church,” it was nice to see all of the seats full. The closeness, in that respect, was a good thing. The acoustics were surprisingly good, too, and the Senior Choir enjoyed singing in a different space.
Early Sunday afternoon, I drove to All Saints' Ashmont (Dorchester), for the beginning of my AAM mid-winter conference. This group, the Association of Anglican Musicians, is my biggest source of information and inspiration. Yesterday began with a 4p.m. service of Choral Evensong with the Men and Boys choir of All Saints' Ashmont. This is a very unusual “Anglo-Catholic” parish; I felt as if I had stepped into a wayback machine.
They use the 1942 hymnal, and a version of the 1928 Prayer Book. The rector wore a barretta, the thurifer and lector wore white gloves with their vestments, and there was a lot of incense. The music was very enjoyable, but I will admit to not enjoying incense or the pageantry that goes with it.
Today, I was at Old West Church, on Cambridge Street, which is the last Methodist Church in Boston, and a struggling one at that. The church was built in 1806, and currently houses 4 different congregations in an attempt to make ends meet. They have a beautiful Fisk organ, and the organ gallery was the site of a six hour workshop on “Body Mapping” which is dealing with the “sixth sense” - kinesthesia - “awareness of the position and movement of parts of the body by means of sensory nerves within the muscles and joints.” Many musicians have injuries that are related to improper muscle use, and this workshop trained us to realign our thinking to listen to our “inner conductor” and keep from causing unnecessary physical stress to our bodies. Part of our church's worship budget provides for continuing education, and this was your pledge money at work – thank you!
As always, it is good to be around colleagues, and I received a lot of food for thought.
Maggie Marshall
Minister of Music
In January and February, we included some reminders about the bottle-and-can-collection ministry that Serena Taplin initiated and Carol Douglas has been maintaining through 15 years. Not only does this service help to reduce our streetside trash/recycle totals, it also earns nickels on an empty, as opposed to pennies on a dollar. While it might take 20 cans to earn a dollar, which may seem small: just imagine how many more cans (than 20) we as a parish could amass, over and over…
Here’s how it works:
Just put your empties in plastic bags and bring them to the church with you on Sunday or any other time. Put them in the closet just outside the kitchen in the Parish Hall. Carol Douglas checks every week to see if there are any cans or bottles there so it doesn't back up.
Please check to be sure the cans and bottles aren't from New Hampshire (no deposit) and please don't leave them outside the kitchen door. If you must leave them there because of your schedule, please call Carol at 978-256-7982 to let her know they are there.
Thanks to all of you for your support.
Carol Douglas
Our first Youth Ministry Task Force Meeting was in December, and now, in mid-February, we have just finished our first 4 week youth group program. Led by Mike Thompson, we watched the movie of the musical Godspell, based on Matthew’s gospel, followed by questions and discussion. Next we will be working to prepare a Good Friday Stations of the Cross service, then a bible study unit, and finally at the end of the school year an arts-based session. Meanwhile the Task Force is working out all the details of a Youth program. Next on our schedule is a discussion of volunteering / ministry, and we hope that Amy Cook, the diocesan Resource Officer, will help us review the best Christian education curriculum for youth.
We have already achieved the most important goal, of providing a Youth Group meeting after church every Sunday without fail. Ideally we would have more than one group, covering 6-7th grade, 8-9th grade and 10-12th grade, but at present we don’t have the leadership or the attendance to justify it, so we are setting it as a goal to be achieved in the future. We have established that the program will consist of five elements, a Christian education learning curriculum, religious experience such as worship and prayer, outreach projects, inreach and leadership activities with the whole church, and good old fashioned fun. As you may have heard, a record number of people from All Saints’ attended the Safe Church training, showing a commitment to the requirements of the National Church so that everyone in this church is treated with respect, and parents have complete trust in us.
You might think that we have everything we could need – but we don’t. Here’s the problem. Firstly, a practical one – the Safe Church rules state that there must be two adults working with any group of young people, so that’s two adults for any one group that meets. Also, as young people grow in years, in maturity and in faith, they need to reach out beyond their parents, to other adults they can trust as leaders. Any good faith formation curriculum will include the opportunity for frank discussion, and it isn’t always easy to do that with parents around. Young people need to reach out beyond their parents to start asking their own questions and making their own decisions.
The vast majority of the people on our task force have children that are, or soon will be, in the 6th to 12th grade. Therefore, whilst they have great wisdom to offer about what our children need, and how to organize the program, they are not the ideal people to actually lead it. Some of them will teach, even so – at the end of the day, we will do whatever it takes to get this youth program up and running – but what we really need is for those of you with younger children, adult children, or no children at all to ask if God is calling you to this ministry. Please think about what you can offer, and talk to someone on the Task Force about what is needed. It may be that our needs can be met by your gift of time and talent.
The members of the Task Force are: Nancy March (Chair), Marlene Hillman, Brian Hunter, Laura Marshall, Maggie Marshall, Debbie Psilopoulos, Sally Chagnon, Denise Sullivan, Nicole Sullivan, Adrienne Spear, Joan Thomas, and Mike Thompson.
Fiona Vidal-White
Youth Missioner
Stations of the Cross
1. Christ is condemned by Pontius Pilate
2. The Cross is laid upon Jesus
3. Jesus falls for the first time
4. Jesus meets his mother
5. Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry the Cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Christ
7. Jesus falls for the second time
8. The women of Jerusalem lament over Jesus
9. Jesus falls for the third time
10. Jesus is stripped naked at Calvary
11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross
12. Jesus dies on the Cross
13. The descent from the Cross
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb
Seven Sayings in Three Hours
1. Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing
2. I tell you this: today you shall be with me in Paradise
3. Woman, behold your son; behold your mother.
4. My God, my God: why have you forsaken me?
5. I thirst
6. It is accomplished
7. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit
On February 14, 2008, the Tyngsborough Elementary School students took part in “Jump Rope for Heart” which is a national educational fund-raising program that is sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Grades 2 through 5 took part in this fund-raising event. It was fun, and jump roping is good exercise too. While I jumped, I knew that the money I had collected would go to people who had hearts that didn’t work very well and for those people who needed new hearts.
Helping our community can be fun for all ages. The “Jump Rope for Heart” shows kids that doing little things like exercise and having fun, or collecting money, or just helping someone. All of these things are important to our community.
Brigitta Goliber
Processions, like parades, may be short or long. This depends (in church) on how many people are moving, or the distance across a church nave. And, in some cases, back again. Or through the cloisters. Often, these are the only times when a whole hymn is sung: even the asterisked verses. Someone chose to include the words in the hymnal, but cautioned that “starred” parts were less worthy. Those hymns, however, speak in all their verses. There is real value in all seven stanzas of “O come all ye faithful”, in all five of “All things Bright and Beautiful.” Next time you have a little time in a pew before a service begins, page through a hymnal. You may never sing some of the poems in their entirety, but the star-gazing exercise may be useful, all the same!
Patrick Blumeris
Carl Clark Diane Coles
Tom Decker Deb Dutton
Derick Gates Liz Landers Edith Parekh Harry Taplin
(One vacancy to be filled)
Lois Freeman, Senior Warden
Melanie Hickcox, Treasurer
Scott Bempkins, Clerk
(All phone numbers are area code 978 unless indicated)
Church Office............... 978-256-5673
Senior Warden....... Lois Freeman
Junior Warden........ Dave Cahill
Treasurer............... Melanie Hickcox
Clerk..................... Scott Bempkins
Acolyte Director.... Clem Cole
Adult Education...... Amy Hunter
Altar Guild............. Liz Landers
Buildings and…….. to be filled
Grounds
Christian School..... Laura Marshall
Michelle Thomas
Elizabeth Danieli
Coffee Hour.......... Matt Hickcox
Endowment ........... Oliver Chamberlain
Environmental Stewardship
Committee............. Liz Marshall
Fellowship.............. to be filled
Finance.................. Mike Brodeur
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.......... Nancy March
Webmaster............ Richard Coles
Web site................ ww.allsaintschelmsford.org
… for the April 2008 Saints Alive! is
March 16th, 2008
Please leave your articles in the Saints Alive! mailbox in the church office, or send them via email to SaintsAlive@yahoo.com. Thanks.
