Dearly Beloved,
I pray this edition of our All Saints News finds all of you well, especially those of you who have only been able to attend church online. We miss you and hope and pray that we will see you soon back here at church.
Our Patronal Festival
This coming Sunday is All Saints Day, which is our “Name Day” on the Church calendar. As is usually the case, we will be having an episcopal visit for confirmations and receptions. Our Bishop Coadjutor, the Right Rev’d Chandler “Chad” Jones, will be with us this weekend. Bishop Chad, as we fondly call him, will become our new diocesan bishop next summer when Bishop Grundorf retires. I encourage all of you to be present this Sunday to meet and greet him. Bishop Chad will be present for both services on Sunday morning and he will be leading our Adult Sunday School in the parish hall. I have left the discussion topic up to him. As is always the case when he teaches, I am certain Sunday School will be both informative and entertaining! The header picture above is from last year when Bp. Chad was elected as our Coadjutor Bishop. Fr. James Johnson and I were his “competition!”
Whenever a bishop visits, we usually have more people than normal come to church. We have made provision for this in light of the present COVID-19 circumstances we find ourselves in. We will help ensure social distancing by broadcasting the 11:00 a.m. Holy Communion into the parish hall so that everyone may participate fully. When it comes to the receiving of Holy Communion, the altar party will come over to the parish hall so we do not overwhelm the CDC guidelines on building capacity.
We will have a simple cake and coffee reception afterwards to congratulate our confirmands and welcome those received.
Welcome
We welcome into our parish family Nathan Tierney. Nathan moved into our area after retiring from teaching college in California. Nathan is a life-long Anglican and we are so pleased to have him join us in our life as a family in Christ!
Time Change
Don’t forget that our clocks roll back one hour from Saturday night to Sunday morning.
Diocesan Women’s Retreat
Due to COVID-19, the Annual DEUS Women’s Retreat will not be held this year at the monastery in Conyers, Georgia, as it usually is. The Annual Retreat for women normally has limited registration and fills up quickly, so the plan this year gives all ladies a unique opportunity to participate. You may choose in-person here at All Saints or via Zoom from your home. Registration is free and lunch will be provided for those attending at church. Ladies, please see Dss. Cynthia on Sunday or give her a quick call to get your name on the list. Registration deadline is this Sunday, November 1.
The retreat day is on Tuesday, November 17, from 9:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m. The topic for this year’s retreat is “The Marys: Servants of God.” If you would like to introduce someone to our parish, they are more than welcome to join us. Just let Dss. Cynthia know!
Annual Stewardship Campaign
It is that time of year again when the vestry is doing its work to plan for next year. Of course, that means all of us will be asked to consider how we will support our wonderful parish in the coming year. The campaign began last week and the second letter in the campaign went out yesterday. You may mail the stewardship card back to the church or just drop it in the offering plate. Please respond as soon as possible. The letters will stop once you make your commitment for next year.
Bible Study Returns
Bible Study returns next Wednesday evening, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. We will begin a study of St. Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. As is usual, we celebrate the Holy Communion at 6:00 p.m. and then eat our “sack” dinners together, before class begins. I look forward to seeing you all there. Remember, we have plenty of room in the parish hall to accommodate whoever may come under CDC social distancing guidelines.
New Organist and Choirmaster
We are pleased to offer a warm welcome to our new organist and choirmaster, Todd Norfleet. Todd joined us two weeks ago and has been a fantastic addition to our parish family. He lives over in Knoxville. He began his formal church music training at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and later focused on the music and liturgy in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. He has been playing the organ for 44 years. Todd is also owner and partner of OrganWorks in Knoxville.
Annual Parish Meeting & Thanksgiving Dinner
Our Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 12:15 p.m., immediately following the 11:00 a.m. Holy Communion. It will also be live-streamed so you may watch if cannot be here in person. We will also have our Parish Thanksgiving Dinner immediately afterwards with all the appropriate protocols in place for everyone’s safety, very much as we did for the fish fry a few weeks ago. The church will provide the turkey and ham for the day and we ask that you bring your favorite side dish to accompany the tasty meats. A signup sheet for these items is on the bulletin board in the parish hall.
Our National Election
This coming Tuesday we have another presidential election at hand. Many of you have already voted and there are those of us who always go on election day itself. Going to vote is considered a civic duty here in the USA and I encourage all of you, as Christian people, to be sure to do so. It is in this simple way that we can inform the political debate in our country with the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.
I ran across a quote from John Wesley, the great Anglican priest and evangelist, from his Journal, dated October 6, 1774, and I think it is totally apropos, and great advice, considering how “heated” this election has become.
- “Vote…for the person you judged most worthy, speak no evil of the person you voted against, and take care your spirit is not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”
May we truly respond in the way Wesley exhorts us to do.
Be certain to pray for one another, for our country, and please do not forget to pray for those for whom no one else will pray this day.
Blessings,
Fr. Erich
This Week in the Parish
Sunday, November 1
All Saints Day
8:30 a.m. Holy Communion: in person
9:45 a.m. Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Holy Communion: in person and live-streamed
Tuesday, November 3
11:00 a.m., Holy Communion: limited seating
Wednesday, November 4
6:00 p.m., Holy Communion: in person and live-streamed
6:30 p.m., Dinner break
7:00 p.m., Bible Study resumes
7:00 p.m., Choir Practice
