April, 2016
Rector's Message
Children's Corner
Youth Group News
/ Adult Formation
Firmer Foundation Update
Bishop Gibbs Coming April 10
All Saints Calendar


Rector's Message

Deeply Grateful, Deeply Joyful
By Kit Carlson
All Saints Rector

As part of our dinner table grace each evening, Wendell and I have added a practice of gratitude. Before we say grace before dinner, each of us says something we are grateful for that day.Even on a hard day (like when the Spartans lost to Middle Tennessee!) we find something to be thankful for and happy about. This small but important practice has really begun to shift our attitude about daily life. Instead of spending dinner rehashing all the things that are annoying and frustrating in the wider world or in our personal lives, we talk more about things that are exciting, hopeful, and uplifting.

So I am working to practice gratitude widely in my own life. I am trying to say "Thank You" more and to notice when people are going out of their way to do good, or necessary or generous things.

I am feeling especially grateful for the people of All Saints, and especially for all the many hands, hearts, and voices that helped to make Holy Week and Easter a transcendent experience. I am going to try to say "Thank You" here. If I leave anyone out, please know that I am so grateful for EVERYONE!

So, here we go... many thanks to:the staff of the church—Susie Pearson produced and assembled more than 1,000 bulletins between PalmSundayand Easter Day. Scott Hoffman moved furniture, cleaned corners, laid down and took up the labyrinth, and rearranged all our worship spaces depending on the service. Becky Beauregard coordinated the PalmSundaycostumed procession, the Easter Egg hunt, the nursery workers for all the various events. Pastor Laura preached PalmSundayand assisted with the Vigil. And Michael Crouch and Meredith Hines practiced for hours, and made the music come to life.

And to:the altar guild, headed by Carol Baker and Deb Babcock. The guild members spent hours helping to set up, clean up, care for silver and linens, change the veil on Jesus, put the sanctuary back together on HolySaturdayand get ready for Easter. Andthe flower guild, with Paulette Johnston and Martha McKee helping to coordinate the flower arrangers in creating an epic display of beauty on the altar.Saturdaymorning before Easter is always a busy and beautiful time as these groups get our space ready for Easter. Especially gratifying this year was the participation of youth—Grace Powe, Marija Miklavcic, and Sophie Vogelsang—in preparing the space.

And to:the choirs—the All Saints Choir and the Bell Choir, who practiced long hours and showed up for MaundyThursday, GoodFriday, Easter Vigil and Easter Day, and sang—or clanged—their brains out! Also to Matt Penniman and his friends, who sang the beautiful plainchant parts of Wednesday's Tenebrae service.

And to:all who watched in the prayer vigilbetween the end of the MaundyThursdayservice andnoonon GoodFriday, keeping watch with Jesus on the Altar of Repose. Thanks to Marty Liphard who always coordinates this vigil.

And to:the worship leaders—the acolytes, lay eucharistic ministers, ushers, and lectors, who each have an important part to play in each service. I am especially grateful for "the Davids"—David Baker and David Wisner—who make sure all the parts are in play for these important services, who make sure we all process in the proper order, and make sure that everyone knows what to do at each moment of the service.

We had FOURTEEN services between8 a.m.on PalmSundayandnoonon Easter Day. Our journey to the cross and beyond to the empty tomb is the most important part of our shared worship throughout the year, and all these people brought their very best efforts to this task. I hope your own faith and spirituality was deepened as you attended the services of Holy Week, and that you, too, are grateful for all the many members of All Saints who made this week one of devotion, beauty, and glory.

I am grateful! I am joyful! We are so deeply, deeply blessed!

In the joy of the resurrection,

Kit

Children's Corner

By Becky Beuregard
Ahhh! Spring is finally here!It was wonderful to celebrate Easter with so many families!It’s hard to believe we are beginning our last unit in Sunday School!Beginning April 10th the children will be learning about servants of God throughout the Bible.Please note there is no Sunday School on April 3rddue to Spring Break.I will have a craft project that day in the yellow classroom for Sunday School-aged children.
Church Clean Up:We will have a spring cleanup event on Saturday, April 23rdat 9 a.m.I will have special jobs for school-aged children.We will also have childcare in the nursery for kids 3 and under.This is an excellent opportunity to help your children feel like a real part of the church community as they help care for our space!A sign-up will be circulating soon!
Family Fun Day:Please join us at Fenner Nature Center Saturday, April 30that 10 a.m.Emily Scott will lead us on a nature hike!Please RSVP to me .
Are you part of our Parent’s Group on Facebook?We have an All Saints Parents group on Facebook where I post all of our Family Fun days, announcements and community events.If you would like to be added please e-mail me !
Youth Group News

By Laura Kuntz

Youth group members and confirmation class students serve lunch after preparing the meal at Advent House on March 4, 2016.
EYC Dates for April
3rd No E.Y.C.
10th EYC at church6-8 p.m.
17th EYC at church6-8 p.m.
24th EYC at church6-8 p.m.
April 17th: Party and potluck dinner for confirmation class participants and mentors at Ellen Armentrout's house5-7 p.m.


Adult Formation

The Easter Season is upon us. The Pascal candle is lit, the anthems will ring out week after week, and our focus during this time will be on Servants of God in our midst. These are the offerings in April:
April 3: Sarah Midzalkowski will present students from One Community MSU, sharing their experiences in the Deep South during an alternative spring break. This was a pilgrimage into the “American Experience” of the civil rights movement, a modern day work of some servants of God. Come hear their reflections, be lifted by their energy!
April 10: Our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Wendell Gibbs, will be visiting All Saints on this Sunday, and will speak with us about his personal journey of faith and his calling to be a servant of God in the Diocese of Michigan. This is a special opportunity to engage with our bishop and get to know him better.
April 17: Coffee Talk with Jesus, led by Jo Hartwell. A chance to share with each other about people who have touched our own faith lives. Who have been your spiritual mentors? Writers, teachers, saints, friends? Larger than life figures from the Bible? Let’s applaud them all!
April 24: The spotlight is on our new Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry. Pastor Kit will have videos of Bishop Curry ready for us, and will add her thoughts about his ministry to the Episcopalians of America in this challenging time.
May 1: Dr. Jodi Flanders, an All Saints parishioner for the past several years, is going to tell us about the work being done by our speaker for the following week, Rev. Becca Stevens. Dr. Flanders has been assisting Becca at Thistle Farms.
Rev. Stevens has established Thistle Farms, where women who have left the sex trade are learning to run a cosmetics business and receive help in reorganizing their lives. Her visit is made possible by the Mary Sharp Speakers Fund.


Firmer Foundation Update

A FIRMER FOUNDATION for the Abbot Road parking lot plus a dozen other projects are left on the to-do list! With Spring in full swing and Summer construction season soon to follow,we need everyone’s faithful support and prompt payment of pledgesto make these things happen! Stay tuned for more details on the remaining projects in an upcoming edition of your All Saints Messenger…


Bishop Gibbs Makes an Official Visit April 10

Every few years, All Saints receives an official visitation from our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr. It's always a special and exciting time to welcome our bishop, and he really enjoys being with the members of our community and seeing what All Saints is up to.

He will preach and celebrate at the10 a.m.service onApril 10, and confirm and receive into the Episcopal Church nine people: Chino Ekuweme, Julia Chenault, Anna Hornbach, Brynne Wisner, Mikayla BergWood, Marija Miklavcic, Andy Crosby, Shawn Millhouse and Ellie Louson. A reception follows at coffee hour.

Then he will be the speaker at the adult forum at11:30, in the "Servants of God" series, talking about his ministry and life as a servant of God.He will then meet with the vestry at 12:30 p.m.

Everyone should plan to be present onApril 10to welcome Bishop Gibbs to All Saints and show him what a lively, blessed congregation we are.