As you know, we held our Annual Meeting this past Sunday. Everything went very smoothly and we enjoyed our Parish Thanksgiving Dinner afterward. Various reports were presented at the meeting. We established a budget for the year with a positive balance. We were able to do so because of your continued faithful support of our beloved parish. Richard Cole, Paul Owen, and Carolyn Pugh were elected to three-year terms to the Vestry. Also, Megan Klein and Paul Owen were elected as the delegates to Diocesan Synod next year. Gloria Hensley and Alice Owen were elected as the alternates. Provincial Synod will also occur next summer and Paul Owen was elected as the parish’s deputy, with Megan Klein elected at the alternate. I know many of you were not able to attend due the circumstances we find ourselves in this year. The video of the meeting has been posted on the website, as well as the information packet for the meeting. Just click here to go there now.
Men of the Parish—We need your help
As we always do, the men of the parish pick up the cost for bicycles for our “adopted’ children at Christmas. This is a call to action for all the men of the parish. We ask all of you to contribute of the purchase of these bikes. The children who will receive the bikes are part of a family of 10, where the father lost his job just three weeks ago and things are looking grim for the family. Please be generous. Any monies we receive over and above the cost of the bikes will be directed to the family to help them weather the storm they have found themselves under. You may contribute by giving cash to me or Tom Clyde, drop your gift in the plate on Sunday, mail a check to the church, or even simpler than that, just click here and donate via our PayPal account. As you can see in the picture above we have already purchased the bikes because we KNOW you will respond! Thank you very much for being a part of loving our neighbors in a significant and tangible way!
Angel Tree
The Angel Tree went up Sunday a week ago and all the ornaments are already gone! Thank you all very much for stepping up and making such a loving gesture for children at Christmas. You can see in the picture above that the gifts have already started rolling in (pun completely intended!). You have two Sundays to return the items to the church. Please return the gift unwrapped, with the ornament attached to it. The deadline for returning the gifts is Sunday, December 6.
Thanksgiving Day
This coming Thursday, November 26, we will celebrate the Holy Communion on Thanksgiving Day, beginning at 10:00 a.m. We will sing a few hymns, worship our Lord, and be on our way to Thanksgiving feasting in 45 minutes. Be sure to set aside time to be here that morning. Since Thanksgiving Day is actually about how Almighty God has blessed us in this nation, is there any better way to start the day than in church? For those who cannot make it Thursday morning, we will celebrate the Thanksgiving Day Holy Communion tomorrow evening, Wednesday night, at our usual time of 6:00 p.m. Both services will be live-streamed here on our website, our Facebook Page, and our YouTube Channel.
Advent Lessons & Carols
The All Saints Choir will proudly present its annual Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 6, at 5:00 p.m. This special service was started in 1918 at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, England and it is a re-telling of the story of our redemption—from prophecy to fulfillment—through Holy Scripture and music.
St. Nicholas Party
Don’t forget that our annual St. Nicholas Party always follows right after Advent Lessons & Carols. We have it on good authority that jolly old St. Nick will make it this year to fill up those shoes just like he does every year. Don’t miss your chance to perhaps spy on him as he goes about his work!
Sunday School
All Sunday School class are off for the Thanksgiving weekend. Classes will resume on December 6.
Wednesday Bible Study
Bible Study returns next Wednesday, December 2, at 7:00 p.m. We are about half way through St. Paul’s First Letter to Timothy.
And Don’t Forget About the Food Banks!
Bread of Life in Transylvania County is this month’s recipient of our in-gathering of food stuffs.
Thanks to all of you for your love and support of all we do here at All Saints Church. Please remember to keep this place in your prayers every day every time you come into Almighty God’s presence.
Blessings and I will see you in church…or online…as the case may be!
Fr. Erich
This Week in the Parish
Wednesday, November 25, Thanksgiving Eve
6:00 p.m., Holy Communion: in person and live-streamed
6:30 p.m., Choir Practice
Thursday, November 26, Thanksgiving Day
10:00 a.m., Holy Communion: in person and live-streamed
Sunday, November 29, First Sunday in Advent
8:30 a.m. Holy Communion: in person
9:45 a.m. No Sunday School Classes today
11:00 a.m. Holy Communion: in person and live-streamed
Tuesday, December 1
11:00 a.m., Holy Communion: limited seating
Wednesday, December 2
6:00 p.m., Holy Communion: in person and live-streamed
6:30 p.m., Dinner break
6:30 p.m., Choir Practice
7:00 p.m., Bible Study
