Greetings to All Saints family and friends!
 
Here are some reminders & updates for the Youth Ministry at All Saints:
 
Compline: For those who’d like to help lead Compline on Wednesday evenings, youth or adult,  contact me for the link and password. The call will begin at 7:30pm for anyone wanting to join for a brief check-in before we begin. Otherwise, you can join us at 7:45pm via the All Saints Facebook page where we will be livestreaming through Facebook Live.
 
Graduates: Congratulations once again to our graduates!
 
High School: David Kiesnowski, Ellyn Lepisto, Georgia Parnau, Sydney Ring
 
College: Caroline Augustine, Karah Crabb, Erik Lepisto, Gillian Payne
 
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom: Enlighten by your Holy Spirit those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in the knowledge of your truth, they may worship you and serve you from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Education, BCP p. 261)
 
Summer Camp: Please continue to keep all involved with Camp @ Home in your prayers. We are hoping to safely offer opportunities for camp friends & family to gather together, in smaller groups, later this summer. Stay tuned for more information. Follow all Camp @ Home updates and other news at diofdl.org/camp!
 
If anyone has additional questions, comments, or if you’d like to support camp through prayers, donations (in-kind or financial), or other means, please contact Erin Wolf at camp@diofdl.org.
 
Senior Camp: June 7-13 | Middler Camp & Junior Camp: June 14-19 | Kinder Camp: June 19-21

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
 
We continue to move further and deeper into our new, digital/virtual age as this season of quarantine (some of my clergy colleagues have dubbed it “Coronatide”) stretches on.  Endurance is never easy; fortunately, we have a Faith that is replete with examples to inspire us—including, of course, Our Lord Jesus Christ, himself.
 
In the midst of our ongoing endurance, I wanted to share a reminder of what we’re now doing and to offer a brief mention of what’s on the horizon. 
 
The previous newsletter introduced our current schedule of livestreamed and Zoom offerings.  So many of you have being tuning in, logging on, and taking advantage of online social media and teleconferencing software to stay connected with each other and with our tradition of worship, prayer, and study!  It has been absolutely delightful to see such robust engagement and participation in these new forms of our traditional ministry.  It’s been hard to figure out how to “do church” when the most basic aspects of “doing church”—gathering together to worship and pray and experience the sacramental presence of Christ—have been taken off the table for the foreseeable future.  Thank you all for your grace and flexibility!
 
It warms my heart more than I can tell to see your comments, prayers, and AMENs pop up on the screen as I’m livestreaming our Spiritual Communion services on Sunday and Wednesday mornings.  It’s very strange, and not at all something I would have expected, but there’s a real kind of intimacy that we’ve been sharing, being so instantly connected during worship, that is the opposite of what I thought would happen with digital, online services.  I hope that y’all have felt it, too.  And I hope that, when we do find a way to reestablish our tradition of face-to-face worship in the shared sacred space of our church building, we will come back to that practice somewhat changed by this time in the desert.  That we’ll bring this newfound connection into the pews and up to the altar with us.
 
I’ve also been delighted to see the enthusiasm with which we as a parish have engaged the practice of praying the Daily Office.  Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury who created the first Book of Common Prayer for the Church of England way back in 1549, always intended the Office to be the daily practice of all baptized Christians, not just the clergy.  I think we’ve gotten closer to achieving that ideal in the past couple of months than perhaps we had for a long time prior.  That’s been truly wonderful to see.
 
So as for what we’re currently doing, our principal worship service (Sunday @ (9:30 a.m.), our midweek service (Wednesday @ 9:30 a.m.), and our Daily Office services (various days throughout the week, depending upon who is available to lead the service; generally 9:30 a.m. for Morning Prayer, 5:30 p.m. for Evening Prayer, and c. 7:30 p.m. for Compline) are being livestreamed via the All Saints Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/AllSaintsEpiscopalChurchAppleton/
 
In addition, we’re using the Zoom platform to host a “virtual coffee hour” at 10:30, after Sunday morning worship; a weekly Bible study (Mondays @ 11 a.m.) based on the Revised Common Lectionary readings for the upcoming Sunday, and a more casual mid-week “Faith Talk” gathering (Thursdays @ 12 noon).
 
The link for virtual coffee hour is: 
 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83904547272
 
The link for Bible study is:
 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83294149828
 
The link for Faith Talk is: 
 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87474797790
 
Theoretically, those links should work on an ongoing basis from week to week.  (We’re crossing our collective fingers!)
 
Please also remember that I am keeping “office hours” during the week to make sure that I am available for any pastoral care needs that you’ve got.  You can reach me (during those hours, or at any time) at 920.266.9262 ~ and there is voicemail if I don’t happen to pick up in time.  Official office hours are Monday, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and Thursday, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
 
One last reminder:  if you are interested at all in possibly leading some of our livestreamed Daily Office services—which are designed to be lay-led—please contact me at fatherchristopherallsaints@gmail.com, and we’ll get you connected with this important ministry.
 
As for what’s on the horizon, Bishop Matt, in conjunction with the diocesan Covid-19 Task Force has put out some new rules that allow for parishes that wish to resume a limited celebration of Holy Eucharist to do so.  Details are available on the diocesan website, but the gist of it is that there can be no more than four people involved, including the priest; that all persons must strictly observe the six-foot minimum safe distance from each other at all times; that only the set group of the same four people can be involved from week to week (in other words, having a rotation and taking turns defeats the whole purpose of social distancing).  This restricted worship team would physically and spiritually be “standing in” as representatives present in person on behalf of the whole parish.  
 
As a member of the Task Force myself, I wholeheartedly endorse these restrictions.  The question, however, is … do we as a parish want to pursue adding a service of Holy Eucharist back into our weekly worship at the present time, given the restrictions that we’d have to observe?  The Vestry and I have been discussing the matter, and indeed we are working on mapping out an overall plan for going forward through—and beyond—quarantine.  Bear in mind that our congregation, like that of most Episcopal parishes, is largely made up of folks in the high risk categories as described by the CDC; we will therefore, as my dad would say, “proceed out of an abundance of caution.”  It’s likely that we’ll need to observe stricter precautions than the civil authorities put in place.  It’s also likely that we’re not going to see anything that will seem “normal” to us for another 12 to 18 months, at the earliest.  So the question of resuming Eucharist needs to be placed in that larger context.
 
That said, I would dearly love to hear your thoughts, ideas, feelings, concerns, etc., on the subject.  Please email me (at the address above) and let me know what you think.  Likewise, let me know how our current ministries are working for you, and/or how they could possibly work better.  This whole thing is very new to all of us (the last pandemic in these parts dating back to 1918!), so we’re all in it together.  And we’ll get through it together. 
 
Please know that you’re all in my prayers, and that we can all trust in the Grace of God, the power of Jesus Christ, and the strong, loving arms of God’s Holy Spirit to carry us through any time of trial.
 
Peace & blessings,
Christopher+

Greetings to All Saints family and friends!
 
Here are some reminders & updates for the Youth Ministry at All Saints:
 
Compline: For those who’d like to help lead Compline on Wednesday evenings, youth or adult,  contact me for the link and password. The call will begin at 7:30pm for anyone wanting to join for a brief check-in before we begin. Otherwise, you can join us at 7:45pm via the All Saints Facebook page where we will be livestreaming through Facebook Live.
 
Graduates: We will be honoring and acknowledging graduating seniors for the Class of 2020 this coming Sunday, May 17 during worship. If you or your graduate have not sent in information yet, now is your last chance! Contact me at asygappleton@gmail.com for assistance.
 
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom: Enlighten by your Holy Spirit those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in the knowledge of your truth, they may worship you and serve you from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Education, BCP p. 261)
 
Summer Camp: As many of you may already have seen, our diocesan Summer Camp for 2020 is transforming into Camp @ Home, which means that we will not be able to gather at Camp Lakotah this June. The full joint statement from Bishop Matt and Camp Director Erin can be found HERE. While Camp @ Home cannot truly replicate the in-person experiences and community that Summer Camp offers, we in the diocese are truly blessed with a team of volunteer staff who are dedicated to creating opportunities for students to still gather virtually from around the diocese and beyond. Camp @ Home is offered at NO COST to campers, and while we are an Episcopal camp, one does not need to be Episcopalian to attend.
 
The camp dates already announced for 2020 are still the same, and more information is and will be available at diofdl.org/camp. Any students wishing to participate may REGISTER HERE. For those campers signed up by Monday, May 25, camp care packages will be sent home to supplement and add to your Camp @ Home experience (again at no cost to campers). If anyone has additional questions, comments, or if you’d like to support camp through prayers, donations (in-kind or financial), or other means, please contact Erin Wolf at camp@diofdl.org.
 
Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12): June 7-13
Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8): June 14-19
Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5): June 14-19
Kinder Camp (ages 4-7 & adult): June 19-21
 
Summer Youth Ministry events at All Saints: At this time, we are not planning any youth ministry events for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. As in years past, we encourage All Saints students to consider participating in Camp, with this year being Camp @ Home, as they are able and willing. While I cannot yet guarantee opportunities for in-person youth ministry events for July or August, I will continue communicating with families via Weekly Updates and social media. Please contact me at asygappleton@gmail.com with ways that are best to stay connected with your family as we continue to maintain physical distance. Thank you!

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
 
Legend has it that there is an ancient curse which says, "May you live in interesting times.”  One has but to glance through any history textbook to note that the most interesting times to read about are typically ones that would have been most grueling to live through.  Interesting times are only interesting, perhaps, to the extent that they happen to other people.
 
We are certainly living through some interesting times, ourselves, these days.  The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected each and every one of us in ways both large and small.  Our lives, even for those of us who remain relatively comfortable during this crisis, have not been "normal" for some time now.  And some folks are enduring great suffering.  Some folks are dying.  There's nothing about this situation that's easy.
 
Hard as quarantine is for all Americans at this time, it's particularly challenging for Episcopalians.  As Christians in the Anglican tradition, we embrace an incarnational theology, which calls us to worship God in our bodies by gathering together as the Body of Christ and by celebrating the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion.  The experience of that intimate presence of the Divine within the assembly of God's people, in the tangible, physical elements of bread and wine, is central ~ is foundational ~ to our experience of God and our understanding of Jesus Christ's incarnate life, death, and resurrection.  Unable to gather physically, and unable to share the wafer and the cup as we have done (I was tempted to write "as we normally do," but the Eucharist is extraordinary and I hesitate ever to describe it as "normal"), we have had to find other ways in which to experience the incarnate presence of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
 
As a result, All Saints has managed in a few weeks to do something we've been needing to do for some time:  namely, to expand our mission and outreach into the realms of digital technology and social media.  Many of you have joined us from home in saying the prayers and liturgies of the Daily Office ~ a practice that Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1533 to 1555 who wrote the original Book of Common Prayer, always intended to be the regular discipline not only of the clergy but of every member of the Church.  And I have discovered, and have been delighted to offer, services of ante-Communion (basically, the Liturgy of the Word from our regular Sunday worship, offered as a complete service unto itself) and Spiritual Communion (a liturgy designed for the faithful who find themselves in places or circumstances that prevent them from physically attending Mass) as parts of our tradition I did not know about before this outbreak.
 
Without in any way diminishing the hardships and difficulties we're experiencing because of this viral outbreak, I do have to say that I am excited to see these new forms of ministry take shape and become part of our lives together in Christ.  It is my determined intention that these online services continue even after we are able once again to gather together in person for our traditional forms of worship.
We have also activated, from the start of the outbreak, a telephone ministry in order to reach out to and keep connected with those members of our parish who do not have access to the internet or to electronic means of communication.  The members of our Vestry, in particular, have been extremely generous and diligent in this ministry, regularly reaching out to our parish family to offer prayer, conversation, human connection, and the presence of Christ to everyone.
 
At this point, the novelty of quarantine and "shelter-at-home" is beginning to wear off.  The "new and strange" is perhaps even becoming for us the "new normal."  Prevented from gathering in person to worship, we are (hopefully) becoming accustomed to gathering around our electronic devices, or looking forward to phone calls from fellow church members, to share prayer and worship across the physical distances we must maintain in order to stop the spread of the virus.  I can tell you that neither I nor my seminary classmates at Sewanee imagined that we were training to be televangelists! 
 
The truth is, none of us have prior experience with situations like this one.  But as the novelty wears off, it will become more difficult to maintain the disciplines that are in fact slowing the spread of the virus.  Here is where our ancient tradition of prayer can and will sustain us.  Our ancestors faced hardship, isolation, exile, desolation, anxiety, fear, disease, and death.  One of the things that got them through it all was prayer.  So let us all continue to pray ~ to pray for each other, to pray with each other ~ confident in the knowledge that prayer unites us to God through Jesus Christ and to each other through God's Holy Spirit.
 
Elsewhere in this newsletter, you'll find an updated schedule of online services.  Please join in as you are able, and "like" and "comment" freely as a way for us to stay connected, until such time as we will meet again face to face before God's holy altar.
 
Peace & blessings,
Christopher+

Happy Easter to all! (Yes, we are still in the season of Easter – Alleluia!)
 
Here are some reminders & updates for the Youth Ministry at All Saints:
 
Sunday School and Youth Group will have our last official Zoom gatherings for the 2019-2020 program year this afternoon/evening (Times below). Please contact me at asygappleton@gmail.com for links and passwords if you don’t already have them from previous weeks. They will not be posted publicly for security purposes.
 
Sunday School (grades 5 & under): 4:00-4:30pm | Youth Group (grades 5 & older): 6:30-8:00pm
 
Compline: A reminder that you can join Youth Group tonight (Wednesday) for Compline at 7:45pm. If you want to join the Zoom call, contact me for the link. Otherwise, you can join us via the All Saints Facebook page where we will be livestreaming over Facebook Live.
 
THANK YOU to all our 2019-2020 Youth Ministry Volunteers!! Sunday School, Youth Choir, Confirmation, Youth Group, and all other youth-related groups and activities could not happen without the help of the amazing people who give their time, talents, and energy as part of this team! This year, we give thanks for:
 
Sunday School: Jessica, Brad, Catherine N, Mike (honorary mention: Bishop Matt)
Youth Group: Brad, Mike, Ellen, Ben, Erin D, Ana, Carol, Sarah, Pete, Emily, Tina, Stephanie
Confirmation: Suzanne
Youth Choir: Heidi, Ian (honorary mention: Matt, Catherine W, Carol, Emily, All Saints Choir)
 
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom: Enlighten by your Holy Spirit those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in the knowledge of your truth, they may worship you and serve you from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Education, BCP p. 261)
 
Graduates: We know the Class of 2020 has seen quite a lot of disruption and unexpected endings. That said, we would still like to honor all those who are graduating from high school or with a higher education degree (whatever level that might be). To make sure you or your graduate is included in this, please send Erin Wolf the following information by Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 10): graduate’s name, school name, degree (if applicable), and “Next Steps” (if known, such as further education, workplace, gap year, internship, etc.).
 
Summer Camp: As many of you may already have seen, our diocesan Summer Camp for 2020 is transforming into Camp @ Home, which means that we will not be able to gather at Camp Lakotah this June. This was a decision that was not made lightly, and you may find the full joint statement from Bishop Matt and Camp Director Erin HERE. While Camp @ Home cannot truly replicate the in-person experiences and community that Summer Camp offers, we in the diocese are truly blessed with a team of volunteer staff who are dedicated to still offering camp in this new way. Camp @ Home is offered at NO COST to campers, and while we are an Episcopal camp, one does not need to be Episcopalian to attend.
 
The camp dates already announced for 2020 are still the same, and more information is and will be available at diofdl.org/camp. If you’d like to support camp through prayers, donations (in-kind or financial), acting as a story-teller for Kinder Camp, or other means, please contact Erin Wolf at camp@diofdl.org.
 
Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12): June 7-13
Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8): June 14-19
Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5): June 14-19
Kinder Camp (ages 4-7 & adult): June 19-21
 
Resources webpage: The COVID-19 Resources pages through the Diocese of Fond du Lac are now up and running. CLICK HERE to see what is all available. You may still also find resources on the All Saints Youth Ministry website (CLICK HERE) or in our Youth Ministry Facebook group (CLICK HERE).

Alleluia! The Lord is risen! Happy Easter to all!
 
Here are some reminders from the Youth Ministry at All Saints:
 
Sunday School and Youth Group will be meeting via Zoom on Wednesdays through April 29. Links for these calls are sent out via the Weekly Update emails and will NOT be posted publicly for security purposes. For those wishing to join us, please contact me for the link. I ask that at least one parent/family be present, if possible, for Sunday School calls. THANK YOU to the adults who have joined me so far to help moderate!
 
Sunday School (grades 5 & under): 4:00-4:30pm | Youth Group (grades 5 & older): 6:30-8:00pm
 
*For those wishing to pray Compline with the Youth Group Wednesday evenings at 7:45pm, please contact me for the Zoom meeting link. Non-Youth Group guests are encouraged to join the call beginning at 7:40pm. Thank you!*
 
Worship Schedule: Remember to keep an eye on the virtual Worship Schedule for All Saints. You can find this on the All Saints and Youth Ministry websites. The majority of these services will be offered via Facebook live through the church’s Facebook page (please follow us if you don’t already to receive notifications). Services marked as Zoom gatherings will take place via Zoom video conference calls. Please contact Fr. Christopher at fatherchristopherallsaints@gmail.com for Zoom links.

Resources webpage: The COVID-19 Resources pages through the Diocese of Fond du Lac are now up and running. CLICK HERE to see what is all available. You may still also find resources on the All Saints Youth Ministry website (CLICK HERE) or in our Youth Ministry Facebook group (CLICK HERE).
 
Summer Camp is still a go at this time, and conversations are underway with camp leadership to plan for different scenarios. Registration and volunteer staff applications can be found at diofdl.org/camp. All camp sessions will take place at Camp Lakotah, Wautoma.
 
Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12): June 7-13
Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8): June 14-19
Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5): June 14-19
Kinder Camp (ages 4-7 & adult): June 19-21
 
As we were reminded on Sunday by our friend, Fr. Aran Walter, “Even though our churches are empty today, remember… SO. IS. THE. TOMB.” The Lord is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Greetings to all. We are still in the midst of strange times, but we are learning to adapt and connect differently while we are apart. To those who have been and are celebrating birthdays, Happy Birthday! We have several students and adults who have been making the best of the current pandemic to still find ways to celebrate and share joy—may God’s blessings be upon you as you begin another year!
 
Here are some updates from the Youth Ministry at All Saints:
 
Sunday School and Youth Group will be meeting via Zoom on Wednesdays for the remainder of the program year. Links for these calls are sent out via the Weekly Update emails and will NOT be posted publicly for security purposes. For those wishing to join us, please contact me for the link. I ask that at least one parent/family be present, if possible, for Sunday School calls. THANK YOU to the adults who have joined me so far to help moderate!
 
Sunday School (grades 5 & under): 4:00-4:30pm | Youth Group (grades 5 & older): 6:30-8:00pm
 
*For those wishing to pray Compline with the Youth Group Wednesday evenings at 7:45pm, please contact me for the Zoom meeting link. Non-Youth Group guests are encouraged to join the call beginning at 7:40pm. Thank you!*
 
Worship Schedule: There is a new working virtual Worship Schedule for All Saints available on the All Saints Facebook page as well as the All Saints and Youth Ministry websites. The majority of these services will be offered via Facebook live through the church’s Facebook page (please follow us if you don’t already to receive notifications). Services marked as Zoom gatherings will take place via Zoom video conference calls. Please contact Fr. Christopher at fatherchristopherallsaints@gmail.com for Zoom links.

Resources webpage: A webpage dedicated to sharing accurate information regarding COVID-19, as well as resources for formation, worship, pastoral care, etc. will be made available through the Diocese of Fond du Lac within the next week or so. In the meantime, feel free to explore the Resources page on the All Saints Youth Ministry website (CLICK HERE). Some resources are also being shared in the All Saints Youth Ministry Facebook group (CLICK HERE).
 
Summer Camp is still a go at this time, and conversations have begun with camp leadership to plan for a variety of scenarios. Registration and volunteer staff applications can be found at diofdl.org/camp. All camp sessions will take place at Camp Lakotah, Wautoma.
 
Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12): June 7-13
Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8): June 14-19
Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5): June 14-19
Kinder Camp (ages 4-7 & adult): June 19-21
 
Friends, as it’s been said before, please continue to hold one another in prayer as we trek forward. God is greater than anything fearsome thing we face, and as Paul mentions in his writings, nothing can separate us from the love of God. “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” (Julian of Norwich)

Greetings Fellow Members,

I hope this message finds many of you tucked in at home enjoying life at a much slower, different pace. Thank you to our healthcare and essential workers who do not have that luxury. As a follow up to Bishop Matt’s latest letter posted yesterday, I wanted to reach out with more details about All Saints. If you haven’t had a chance to read his message it can be found at https://www.diofdl.org/news/a-pastoral-letter-to-the-people-of-the-diocese-of-fond-du-lac

At this time the church is not making any payroll changes, in the interest of helping ensure that our staff can weather the financial impact of the viral outbreak as well — that’s one reason we need your continuing support. The staff are still doing their work to the greatest extent possible whilst working remotely for safety reasons.

After receiving a few questions asking about how All Saints can continue to receive pledges, I wanted to send out a reminder on the current practices we have in place to accept donations outside of Mass.

1.      You can mail your check to the church. The church address is:
 
All Saints Episcopal Church
100 North Drew Street
Appleton, WI 54911
 
All Saints already receives many routine contributions by mail and has a system set up to process the deposits weekly.
 
2.      You can drop off your check or envelope at the church in the church mail slot located at the Drew Street entrance.
 
3.      If you prefer not to mail in or drop off your pledge, another option is PayPal. All Saints is set up to receive PayPal donations. Please visit our website at http://www.allsaintsappleton.org/giving.html. PayPal has the ability to accept debit and credit cards and it is very convenient. They do charge a $0.30 transaction fee plus 1.9% of the total amount contributed. Please note that you will receive a receipt for your donation through PayPal and it will also be added to your annual giving statement.

Finally, if you need to delay paying your pledge due to financial hardship resulting from the COVID-19, please do whatever it takes to get your family through this difficult period. All Saints has emergency cash reserves we can use to weather the quarantine. Please do not put your wellbeing at risk in order to pay your pledge.

Please reach out with questions or if you need help doing a PayPal donation on your computer.

Peace,
Alicia Bayambang, Treasurer
allsaintstreasurerapple@gmail.com
(Please note the Treasurer email address has changed)
920-216-6006

*Note: To reach Fr. Christopher for pastoral care needs, please call 920.266.9262.

My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

As of this morning, at the directive of The Rt. Rev. Matthew Gunter, Bishop of Fond du Lac, we are suspending all public worship at All Saints Episcopal Church. This change in plans is a new development, and I am currently awaiting further news and instructions from our bishop, but in the meantime we need to get the word out that all services at All Saints have been cancelled until further notice.  

Furthermore, until further notice, I am also closing the church buildings to public/outside use, and I am directing the staff to do as much of their work remotely from home as possible. Any regularly scheduled meetings or gatherings, therefore, that are on the calendar to take place within our building are as of now also cancelled until further notice.

My dear friends, these new developments weigh heavily on my heart--it is a key component of our Anglican identity that we gather together in communal worship. After all, our principal act of worship as Episcopal Christians is Holy Communion. That said, I completely and wholeheartedly concur with Bishop Matt's decision. At this moment, our priority is to demonstrate, to act out, our love for one another by doing everything in our power to keep each other as safe and as healthy as possible.

Moreover, a temporary physical separation from each other is hardly enough even to make a slight dent in the faith and witness of our shared ministry as the Body of Christ in Appleton, WI. "For I am convinced," as St. Paul says, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38-9).  Or from each other, I would add.

That said, these next few weeks will indeed be difficult for all of us, but especially for those of us in the "higher risk" category who will feel the worst of the isolation to come. I'm working right now with the staff and Vestry and other lay leaders of All Saints to develop ways that we can all stay as connected as possible during this outbreak, despite our being physically "distanced." In particular, I will be stretching a bit beyond my own comfort zone in order to live-stream prayer services and to share video messages with all of you (details to be announced as they become available). We'll also be putting together a telephone ministry for reaching out to and staying in touch with our parishioners who do not use computers and cannot access social media or the Internet in general. (Again, details will be sent out as that ministry comes together.)

I'm working to set up a special phone number for pastoral care emergencies, so that you'll be able to get in touch with me directly during this separation, and I'll send that number out as soon as I get it set up. In the meantime, please feel free to email me, if you have email access, with questions ... or if you'd be interested in volunteering to work with the telephone ministry or other efforts to help keep us connected. I welcome your ideas! 

Above all else, please know that, as I said on Sunday, God is with us, God will never leave us, and God will carry us through these difficult times. It's perfectly normal and healthy to be anxious just now, even perhaps fearful. And yet, we must also, even in times like these, be prepared to make an account of the hope that is in us, and that hope is Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. We may not know at this time what the details of our Easter worship will look like by the time we get to the end of Lent. But we know--we know--that Easter morning will come, that the tomb will be empty, that He will be RISEN! With that knowledge in our minds and that hope in our hearts, let us spend these next few weeks in devotion and prayer, as befits us during the holy season of Lent, and let us look to the Rising of the Son to come.

Good evening, everyone,

As many of you likely experienced, today has been a whirlwind of updates, closures, news, and more regarding COVID-19 and the responses coming from a variety of places. Before we go further, I'd like to offer "A Prayer for Facing Uncertainty" from the New Zealand Prayer Book:

"God of the present moment, God who in Jesus stills the storm and soothes the frantic heart; bring hope and courage to us as we await in uncertainty. Bring hope that you will make us the equal of whatever lies ahead. Bring us courage to endure what cannot be avoided, for your will is health and wholeness; you are God, and we need you. AMEN."

There are several items to share with you all, so please bear with me as we dig in:

Bishop Matt Gunter issued an updated statement today with more guidelines for congregations within the Diocese of Fond du Lac to follow. He will be sharing (or has shared) more detailed guidance with clergy and Vestry wardens. You can find his statement by CLICKING HERE. This includes recommendations for those of any age who are immunocompromised, have chronic lung or heart conditions, and/or those who are diabetic. It also includes recommendations for those parishioners ages 70+, effective Monday, March 16. 

Effective immediately, all in-person Youth Ministry programming at All Saints, including Sunday School, Youth Choir, Youth Group, and related activities, are suspended until further notice. These suspensions include Fr. Christopher's Lenten reflections on the Desert Fathers between Sunday services and the Monday morning bible study group. 

Effective immediately, the Youth Choir will not sing during worship on Sunday, April 19 as originally planned. Our amazing leaders, Heidi & Ian Bates, are still committed to using the music planned at a future date, so please do hold onto your music & folders! When we are able to hold rehearsals again, we will be in touch.

Effective immediately, we will be observing a "No Contact" guideline during worship outside of our own families. When greeting one another at worship, please share warm verbal affirmations or use basic signs from American Sign Language. CLICK HERE to watch a 33 second video on how to sign "I love you" in two different ways! A slight bow, a hand wave, or the peace sign are also great ways to acknowledge your neighbors without physical contact. 


Effective immediately, per both Fr. Christopher's & Bishop Matt's recommendations, intinction (dipping your Communion wafer into the wine) is prohibited. You may choose to receive the Communion wafer and drink from the Common Cup, or you may choose to receive only the bread. Both are acceptable. If you'd prefer to not receive the elements at all, we still encourage you to come forward to receive God's blessing. Simply cross your arms over your chest to indicate such at the Communion rail.

Effective immediately, there will be no Coffee Hour on Sunday mornings following worship until further notice.  

The All Saints Vestry & Father Christopher are still meeting tomorrow as planned and will determine what other precautions All Saints will take parish-wide. Further updates will be communicated sometime either tomorrow late afternoon or in the evening hours. We thank you in advance for your patience and flexibility. 

Fr. Christopher and I will be meeting early next week to determine how to best offer at-home and virtual resources for families to utilize during this time. We want to help parishioners stay connected, particularly those who are being asked to stay home from worship, as well as all families within our Youth Ministry. We trust that with God's help, we will get through this all together, and we really want to work to provide support as much as we are able. 

Live-stream Sunday services, for those not attending worship services in-person over the next few Sundays, are currently offered at St. Thomas, Menasha (CLICK HERE) and Grace Episcopal, Sheboygan (CLICK HERE). We highly encourage you to join for worship within our diocesan community. There are other priests within the diocese who offer the Daily Offices via Facebook Live (e.g. Fr. Chris Arnold, Oshkosh; Mthr. Erin Kirby, Minocqua) for those interested in joining that way. Please also continue to keep an eye out for updates regarding worship opportunities for All Saints. 

Summer Camp for the Diocese of Fond du Lac is currently still a go in June. However, with the development of school closures in WI over the next two weeks (and possibly longer), the diocesan staff will be monitoring the impact this has on school districts and communities around the state. The current plan is to make a decision in April.

THANK YOU ALL for all you're doing to navigate all this new territory with us. THANK YOU to those who have emailed, texted, called, and have been in touch today as things kept unfolding. THANK YOU to everyone for your patience, flexibility, and ideas to help folks in our community. I am grateful for each of you. 

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) 


Blessings to all,
Erin

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Daily we receive more news of the spread of the COVID19 virus (Coronavirus). In the midst of an already difficult flu season, this news surely raises anxiety and concern. Our role as Christians is to help alleviate fear and anxiety with wisdom and understanding.

I want to commend a few basic practices to us all:
The most important way to minimize the spread of infectious diseases is for people who have symptoms (fever, upset stomach, frequent coughing or sneezing, etc.), to stay home. This includes clergy. Clergy or lay ministers can bring the sacraments to those who cannot attend a service and can provide pastoral care by phone as appropriate.
Frequent handwashing is another important way to minimize spread. Plenty of soap and paper towels will be provided in restrooms and kitchens, and containers of hand sanitizer will be readily available in the pews, near doors, and beside tissue boxes to be used when handwashing is not possible.

Additionally, below are a few liturgical suggestions to help minimize the spread of infectious diseases:

Receiving the sacrament in one kind (bread only, for example) has ancient precedent in our spiritual life. The Church believes that those who receive only the bread (or wine) have fully received the sacrament.  Theologically, the blood is inherent in the body, and vice versa.  If there are concerns about the use of the common cup, the bread may be distributed by Eucharistic ministers who have cleansed their hands.

Because hands are a common source of infection, Intinction (dipping the host into the cup, instead of drinking directly from the cup) by the communicant is not a sanitary substitute for drinking from the chalice. Peer-reviewed studies and Centers for Disease Control guidance since the 1980s have consistently shown that “the risk for infectious disease transmission by a common communion cup is very low, and appropriate safeguards--that is, wiping the interior and exterior rim between communicants, use of care to rotate the cloth during use, and use of a clean cloth for each service--would further diminish this risk.” -- American Journal of Infection Control (Vol. 26, No. 5, 1998).

During the Peace, I am inviting worshipers to greet one another with a bow, or a smile, or some other similar gesture, acknowledging each other while avoiding physical contact.

Following the service, the receiving line should include conversation but omit physical contact.

During Coffee Hour (or other times of fellowship), food may be served by individuals who have washed their hands, put on serving gloves, or are using tongs to minimize the touching of food. Either paper plates and napkins or a dishwasher with a water temperature setting hot enough to kill germs should be used for cleanup.

Our partners at Episcopal Relief & Development have put together important resources to help congregations prepare for and respond to a potential outbreak. You can view those and other resources on our diocesan website at https://www.edusc.org/blog/covid/.

For the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), I invite you to visit their dedicated COVID-19 page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Please keep those who are ill with infectious diseases, their families and caregivers, and our medical care providers in your prayers. The Episcopal Church, and indeed the Church universal, has a strong history of caring for one another -- and for our communities -- in times of illness and health. My prayer is that we, with God’s help, will continue this tradition together.
 
(Content adapted from The Rt. Rev. W. Andrew Waldo, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina.)

​THANK YOU to everyone who prayed for the Diocese of Fond du Lac delegation, as well as others gathered for the Province V Youth Event this past weekend. High school students and adult leaders, including Mallory, Brad, and Erin from All Saints, gathered at Bellwether Farm in the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio for worship, learning, camp activities, fellowship, and so much more! Nine dioceses from around Province V (the Episcopal Church in the Upper Midwest) were present for the event.
 
Movies with Meaning is returning to Youth Group tonight! We will be gathering from 6:00-8:30pm in the Youth Room to watch Disney-Pixar’s Coco (PG). Non-youth group students & adults are welcome to attend. Pizza & drinks will be provided. 
 
Turn your clocks ahead one hour! Daylight Saving time begins on Sunday, March 8. Don’t forget to Spring Ahead so you can still be on time for Sunday School and worship!
 
Youth Choir will rehearse again on Sunday, March 15 during the Sunday School hour of 9:00-9:50am. This will take place of regular classes for the morning.
 
Medieval Knight is an inter-church youth group event for grades 6-12 and adult leaders taking place Sunday, March 15. We will be gathering at St. Thomas, Menasha from 5:00-7:00pm to rescue God’s armor from the dragon’s keep. At the end of our quest, we will celebrate with a utensils-free feast (read: eating with our hands). Friends, as always, are welcome to attend!
 
Youth Group Adults Needed: We need assistance with Youth Group Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm. If interested, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. Thank you!
 
Summer Camp registration and volunteer staff applications for Diocese of Fond du Lac Summer Camp are live! Go to diofdl.org/camp for more information. All camp sessions (listed below) will take place at Camp Lakotah, located just off of Hwy 21 approximately 3 miles east of Wautoma.
 
Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12): June 7-13; $395/person
Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8): June 14-19; $330/person
Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5): June 14-19; $330/person
Kinder Camp (ages 4-7 & adult): June 19-21; $140/person
 
For anyone needing financial assistance to cover the cost of camp, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com.
 
More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website.
 
Upcoming Events
March 4: Movies with Meaning at Youth Group, 6:00-8:30pm
March 15: Youth Choir, 9:00-9:50am | Medieval Knight at St. Thomas, Menasha, 5:00-7:00pm
June 7-21: Diocesan Summer Camp at Camp Lakotah, Wautoma
July 12-16: EYE20 at University of Maryland, College Park (Washington, D.C.)

Hello, All Saints ~
 
Please find the January financial reports below. The format looks different because I configured QuickBooks to generate the reports automatically so I do not have to retype them in excel. Also, this year the monthly budget allocation is adjusted for when known actual expenses for quarterly items will be paid, in order to provide a better view of monthly results. For example, the property insurance premium invoice is paid quarterly, so the whole expense would hit in the month in which it is paid. 
 
Major financial related activities that occurred in January include the following: 

• The investment of the excess cash in the checking account. We expect to need the excess cash by June, so it was invested in temporary CDs and also in a savings account so that the money will be earning income until the cash is needed.
• The annual worker's compensation audit was completed.
• The parochial report is in process.
• The annual church audit request for initial documentation arrived.
• The analysis of telephone/internet expenses was resumed.
• A copier provider met with the rector, the senior warden, and the parish secretary to make a sales pitch, which gave us a good idea of competitive options and bids, which will help us immensely when the contract with our current supplier ends.
• A final analysis of the transfer of the endowment from Associated Bank to the DCT was completed. The attached balance sheet shows the current value of the endowments as of 12/31/2019 at $893,532, with Q4 earnings included. Endowment statements are provided quarterly from the DCT so watch for an update in April 2020. 

 
Pledges for January are $24,013, versus the budgeted amount of $18,333.33. Pledges are, therefore, already $5,680 over budget for the new year. Thank you for your gifts from the heart! We appreciate you!
 
Ministry expenses, at $3,832, are close to the budgeted amount of $3699.
 
Minister expenses being at $19,818, versus the budgeted amount of $16,707, results in an over-budget variance of $3,111 due to payroll timing and a catch-up bill for three months (December 19 - February 20) of Rector Health Insurance premiums. Payroll is paid 26 times per year, and the budget is the total payroll amount divided by 12. 
 
Facility costs came in at $4,012, compared to the budgeted amount of $3,298, due to costs associated with boiler maintenance and higher than average utilities costs from higher gas usage in the winter. The utility and boiler costs are typically seasonal and will even out in future months.
 
Operation costs came in at $2,340, compared to the budgeted amount of $1,917, causing a slight, unfavorable variance of $365, due to a bill for newspaper advertising costs for 2019 arriving in January.  
 
Overall, we had a strong month and ended with a surplus (more incoming cash than outgoing cash for expenses) of +$3,710. You may be wondering how this is possible when the finance committee projected a (-$60,000) deficit for the year. Due to the timing of expenses, the deficit is not projected to start occurring until February. However, based on a sneak peek, February pledges are also already over budget, so we're already doing better than planned. We've got this! :)  
 
Thank you for contributing to a strong financial start to the year! 
 
Peace,
Alicia Bayambang
All Saints Episcopal Church Treasurer
920-216-6006

​Food Drive Challenge: Thank you to everyone who has so far participated in the Food Drive Challenge to support St. Joseph’s Food Program, which serves Outagamie, Winnebago, and Calumet counties. Our final in-gathering for this specific food drive will be this Sunday, Feb. 23, though you are always welcome to donate at any point in the year. If you’d like to give financially, CLICK HERE.
 
For those wishing to donate fresh fruit, veggies, meat, or dairy, you are able to do so, though you will need to drop those off in-person. The donation entrance is the northeast door at the following address: 1465A Opportunity Way, Menasha, WI 54952. Thank you again!
 
Taizé at All Saints: All are invited and welcome to join for Taizé worship at All Saints on Sunday, Feb. 23. Worship will begin at 5:30pm with a light dinner to follow.
 
Shrove Tuesday Dinner: There will be a pancake dinner on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 5:00-7:00pm in Kemper Hall. Join us for a delicious meal and fellowship before we begin the season of Lent!
 
Ash Wednesday Services: All Saints will offer two Ash Wednesday services Feb. 26 at 12:00pm Noon and 6:30pm. Youth Group will be joining the later service with time for conversation after, if time allows.
 
Youth Group Adults Needed: We need assistance with Youth Group Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm. If interested, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. Thank you!
 
Province V Youth Event (PYE20) is a gathering of high school students (grades 9-12) and adult leaders from dioceses around Province V, the Episcopal Church in the Upper Midwest. Please keep the delegation from the Diocese of Fond du Lac in your prayers Feb. 28-Mar. 1 as they head to the Diocese of Ohio, including Mallory, Ana, and Erin from All Saints.  
 
Episcopal Youth Event 2020 (EYE20) will take place July 6-12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (this includes travel). This is a triennial gathering of youth currently in grades 9-12 from all around the Episcopal Church. If your student would like to be a part of the delegation from the Diocese of Fond du Lac, CLICK HERE to apply. Cost is $200/person, and the diocese will cover travel costs.
 
More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website.
 
Upcoming Events
Now-Feb. 23: Food Drive at All Saints to benefit St. Joseph’s Food Pantry
Feb. 23: Taizé at All Saints, 5:00pm
Feb. 25: Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, 5:00-7:00pm in Kemper Hall
Feb. 26: Ash Wednesday services, 12:00pm Noon & 6:30pm
Feb. 28-Mar. 1: PYE20 at Bellwether Farm, Diocese of Ohio, grades 9-12 & adults
July 12-16: EYE20 at University of Maryland, College Park (Washington, D.C.)

Sunday, February 16, 2020, is the date of Bishop Matt's official episcopal visitation at All Saints, so I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity to share some general information about holy orders in our Anglican church tradition and about episcopal visitations, specifically.
 
One that distinguishes The Episcopal Church from other liturgical Christian traditions that maintain the historic episcopate* is that in our Church, "Canon law requires every diocesan bishop to visit every congregation in his or her diocese at least once every three years. The canonical purposes of a visitation are for the bishop to examine the condition of the congregation, oversee the clergy, preach, confirm, preside at the eucharist, and examine parochial records. The BCP also assumes that the bishop's visitation will be an occasion for baptism, and that the bishop will preside."1

These purposes and obligations are in keeping with our Church's understanding of the special (specific) vocations of bishops.  From "The Catechism" in of The Book of Common Prayer:
           
Q. What is the ministry of a bishop?

A. The ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his
Church, particularly as apostle, chief priest, and pastor
of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of
the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act
in Christ's name for the reconciliation of the world and
the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to
continue Christ's ministry.
(p. 855)
 
*The words episcopal, episcopate, and bishop all derive from the same Greek work that literally means "overseer."  Thus, the primary function of a bishop is oversight ~ of the faith, of the diocesan congregations, of the clergy serving under the bishop, and ultimately of the "cure of souls" in the bishop's see (territory, i.e., the diocese).
 
Within a diocese, every mission and parish is essentially a "branch office" of the ministry of the bishop of that diocese, and the presbyters (priests) and deacons serve within the diocese as agents of their bishop.  Indeed, one of the main reasons that the priesthood first developed in antiquity as an ordained order of ministry is that, as the Christian faith grew and spread, it became impossible for the primary ministers of the faith ~ bishops ~ to be physically present to celebrate the Eucharist in every worshipping community within their territories.  So "presbyters" ("elders") from those communities were recruited to preside over and administer the sacraments in the bishop's stead.  The bishop remains the primary minister, however, and that is why the canons of The Episcopal Church require our bishops to visit in person each congregation within his or her diocese on a very regular basis.
 
So it makes sense that we are known as The Episcopal Church:  our entire Church polity is structured around this theology of bishops, after all.  Below is additional information put together by the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac. 

So why do we have Bishops?
 
Being a Christian is not simply a matter of individual belief and belonging to God.  It is also about belonging to the larger community of believers who make up the Church, the body of Christ Jesus.  That belonging is practiced and lived out concretely in our local congregations.  But, it does not end there.  We also belong to one another in the larger congregation of congregations that is the diocese, and, through that, we belong to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church around the world and through the ages.  The Holy Spirit, working in that belonging, enables us to live into the promise that God heals all that is separating us from God and one another.
 
Bishops are symbols of that belonging.  Bishops are consecrated by the laying on of hands by other bishops whose authority has come down from the Apostles – the appointed leaders of the early Church.  Thus, bishops are physical representations of belonging through their connection with other bishops around the world and through history.  They, collectively, are the visible sign of the Church’s unity and of continuity within the Church’s life and witness through the ages.  Thus, the bishop is a sort of bridge (pontiff in Latin) between the congregations of the diocese as well as to other dioceses throughout the world and throughout time.  As far back as we can go in the history of the Church, bishops have served this role.
 
Bishops exercise general oversight of a diocese through their ministry as chief priest and pastor, prophet, and teacher.  Their duties include:  visiting the congregations of the diocese, supervising diocesan staff and programs, and issuing guidance on the Church’s doctrine, discipline and worship. The bishop also serves as “the pastor to the pastors.”  Two Sacramental functions are reserved for bishops:  Confirmation and Ordination.

​Food Drive Challenge: The Youth Group has been challenged to bring in non-perishable food items to donate between now and Sunday, February 23rd. While food pantries are usually remembered very well during the holidays, donations are always needed the rest of the year, too. Thus, we would like to extend the challenge to the rest of the congregation to bring in donations to support St. Joseph’s Food Pantry.
 
30 Hour Famine is coming up Feb. 14-15 at St. Thomas, Menasha. This year, the event is sponsored by the Diocese of Fond du Lac! We will gather at 6:00pm on Friday and end by 6:00pm Saturday. This is open to students in grades 6-12 and adult leaders. CLICK HERE to sign-up! No cost to attend.
 
Youth Group Adults Needed: We need assistance with Youth Group Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm. If interested, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. Thank you!
 
Youth Choir will have its next rehearsal on Sunday, Feb. 16 down in Kemper Hall. This will take place of our usual Sunday School classes for the morning.
 
Bishop’s Visitation: Bishop Matt Gunter will be making his annual visitation to All Saints on Sunday, Feb. 16 for both services.
 
Province V Youth Event (PYE20) is a gathering of high school students (grades 9-12) and adult leaders from dioceses around Province V, the Episcopal Church in the Upper Midwest. This year, we will go to Bellwether Farm in the Diocese of Ohio Feb. 28-Mar. 1. Cost is $100/person for the weekend, and scholarship assistance is available. CLICK HERE to sign up, and contact Erin Wolf at ewolf@diofdl.org for scholarship inquiries.
 
Episcopal Youth Event 2020 (EYE20) will take place July 6-12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. This is a triennial gathering of youth currently in grades 9-12 from all around the Episcopal Church. If your student would like to be a part of the delegation from the Diocese of Fond du Lac, CLICK HERE to apply. Cost is $200/person, and the diocese will cover travel costs.
 
Youth Choir pictures and videos from December can now be found on the All Saints Youth Ministry website. CLICK HERE to have a listen!
 
More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website.
 
Upcoming Events
Now-Feb. 23: Food Drive at All Saints to benefit St. Joseph’s Food Pantry
Feb. 14-15: 30 Hour Famine, 6:00pm-6:00pm at St. Thomas, Menasha, grades 6-12 & adults
Feb. 16: Youth Choir Rehearsal & Bishop Matt Annual Visitation
Feb. 28-Mar. 1: PYE20 at Bellwether Farm, Diocese of Ohio, grades 9-12 & adults
July 12-16: EYE20 at University of Maryland, College Park (Washington, D.C.)

Youth Group Adults Needed: We need assistance with Youth Group Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm. If interested, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. Thank you!
 
No Sunday School on Sunday, January 26 due to the All Saints Annual Meeting. There will be ONE service at 9:00am with brunch and meeting to follow.
 
Unity Night Update: Sadly, due to tremendously low numbers, the 2020 Unity Night event will not be able to take place as originally planned. HOWEVER, the Episcopal youth groups from the Fox Valley will gather for our own “EpiscoUnity Night” at St. Thomas, Menasha! We’ll gather Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 6:15-8:00pm and still have time for prayer, games, music, food, and fellowship. There is NO COST to attend, and friends of all kinds are still welcome (despite the name, you don’t need to be Episcopalian to attend). We’ll still take a free will offering to support the mission and ministries of Pillars, Inc. Please RSVP to asygappleton@gmail.com or Erin in-person so we can get an accurate number for food.
 
30 Hour Famine is coming up Feb. 14-15 at St. Thomas, Menasha. This year, the event is sponsored by the Diocese of Fond du Lac! We will gather at 6:00pm on Friday and end by 6:00pm Saturday. This is open to students in grades 6-12 and adult leaders. CLICK HERE to sign-up! No cost to attend.
 
Province V Youth Event (PYE20) is a gathering of high school students (grades 9-12) and adult leaders from dioceses around Province V, the Episcopal Church in the Upper Midwest. This year, we will go to Bellwether Farm in the Diocese of Ohio Feb. 28-Mar. 1. Cost is $100/person for the weekend, and scholarship assistance is available. CLICK HERE to sign up, and contact Erin Wolf at ewolf@diofdl.org for scholarship inquiries.
 
Episcopal Youth Event 2020 (EYE20) will take place July 6-12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. This is a triennial gathering of youth currently in grades 9-12 from all around the Episcopal Church. If your student would like to be a part of the delegation from the Diocese of Fond du Lac, CLICK HERE to apply by Friday, Jan. 31. Cost is $200/person, and the diocese will cover travel costs.
 
Youth Choir pictures and videos from December can now be found on the All Saints Youth Ministry website. CLICK HERE to have a listen!
 
More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website.
 
Upcoming Events
Jan. 26: No Sunday School due to Annual Meeting
Jan. 29: EpiscoUnity Night at St. Thomas, 6:15-8:00pm, grades 6-12 and adult leaders
Feb. 14-15: 30 Hour Famine, 6:00pm-6:00pm at St. Thomas, Menasha, grades 6-12 & adults
Feb. 28-Mar. 1: PYE20 at Bellwether Farm, Diocese of Ohio, grades 9-12 & adults
July 12-16: EYE20 at University of Maryland, College Park (Washington, D.C.)

From time to time, in and amongst and through the hustle and the bustle of serving in parish ministry, in between questions of how many bulletins to print up for which services, questions about the days and times that various ministry team members can arrange to meet, questions about who’s making sure the church buildings are open when they need to be open and locked up when they need to be locked up, and questions about hundreds of even more important subjects (such as how to make sure we know and respond to the pastoral needs of everyone in our church family, or how to respond to the material needs of the poor and hungry in our community), there will very occasionally arise a question of a more cosmic and existential nature. 
 
That is not to say that the latter kind of question is more important than the others I listed.  Clearly, everything I’ve named so far is essential to the mission and ministry of a healthy, functioning Christian church.  What I’m talking about is not a more important question, but rather a question of a different nature than all those other important questions.  A question that cuts immediately and deeply through all of those urgent and important needs and touches on something that is, or ought to be, foundational to our very natures as living, breathing, human beings who have been adopted into the household and family of God.
 
Questions like these are almost always deceptively simple in appearance.  They almost always trigger in us immediate, even rote, responses.  Of course, such quick responses are also almost always entirely too superficial to be truly meaningful.  That’s because the questions themselves, by their depth, force us (if we stop and think about them) to move beyond the superficial, to dig down into the underlying, unspoken questions that are really being asked.
 
Such a question happened to me recently, in a random conversation about parish life in general.  At the beginning of a new year, and in the wake of the Feast of the Epiphany, it is a question I believe is worthy of the most serious consideration.
 
The question was:  Do we hunger and thirst for God?
 
Well, that’s easy, isn’t it?  Of course we do.  If we didn’t we wouldn’t even be a church, would we?  We wouldn’t be holding services and planning events and making pastoral visits and designing & participating in various programs and pledging & giving our time, talents, and financial resources to support all the above … would we?
 
But, now, wait a minute, Fr. Christopher—didn’t you just say that our first, most immediate responses to questions like this one are almost entirely too superficial to be truly meaningful?
 
Why, yes, I did (five paragraphs up, not counting this current one, for anyone who wants to check).
 
Probably, before we fire off any answers to the question, we should seek a little clarification:  what exactly does it mean to “hunger and thirst for God”?  We need to know that, before we can have any idea whether we do or do not, yes?
 
Well, I can’t give you any hard-and-fast, concrete answer there.  But the words “hunger” and “thirst” denote primal bodily needs.  Without hunger, we may forget to eat; without thirst, we may fail to drink.  If we neglect (or are prevented from) either eating or drinking, we die.  So let’s sit for a moment in the midst of that truth.  We hunger and thirst, in the bodily sense, for those things without which we, as creatures of flesh and blood, cannot continue to exist.
 
What about those things without which we, as creatures born of water and the Spirit in our baptism, cannot continue to exist?
 
Do we, in fact, hunger and thirst for God?
 
Do we yearn for and seek after God as if our very lives depended upon our finding God?
 
Do we wake up in the morning feeling pangs inside because it’s been so long since we “ate” of God’s Word?  Do we schedule our days and nights around the best opportunities to “dine” upon the finest examples of God’s Word and Christ’s teaching?  Do we regularly feel the need, in the middle of a car trip, to pull over and refresh ourselves with prayer and with meditation upon the Scriptures?
 
Okay, maybe I’m pushing the metaphor a little too hard here, but I do think it is very much worth asking ourselves whether we truly hunger and thirst after God.  And if our answer to that question turns out not to be “yes,” then there’s another existentially vital question we are forced to ask:Why not?
 
Now, the answer to that question is … it’s a trick question.
 
No, really.  It’s a trick question.
 
We do hunger and thirst after God, whether we realize it or not.  We can’t help it. 
 
You see, we are not merely physical animals who happen to have souls.
 
We are spiritual creatures of God—souls who happen to have bodies.
 
But in our earthly life, here, in post-modern, 21st Century North America, as the inheritors of the Enlightenment and other such recent trends, we live in (and our Church is surrounded by) a culture that doesn’t, as a rule, acknowledge that human beings are fundamentally spiritual creatures. 
 
Or that spirituality is even real, in any meaningful way, other than perhaps as a watered-down version of psychology.
 
So most of us who were born into and grew up within this culture, through no fault of our own, were never taught how to recognize spiritual hunger for what it is.
 
I can’t help but think of the way my children will “act out” at certain times of day—either being overcome by uncontrollable giggles, or lashing out in anger, or collapsing in tearful meltdowns … all because they simply haven’t eaten for a few hours:  they’re hungry, but because they’re so young, they haven’t learned how to tell when their bodies need food.  They just know they don’t feel right, and they act out.
 
Hungry people, even (especially) grown-ups, act in desperate ways.  And societies that are plagued by famine tend to have a host of other problems related to the basic fact of widespread hunger.
 
As people of God, as would-be disciples of Christ, we must learn to recognize the signs of spiritual hunger in our own lives.  More importantly, we must learn to feed ourselves spiritually on a regular, daily basis so that we don’t have to be struck by deep pangs in order to remember to eat.
 
And as God’s one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, we must be about the business of feeding God’s people, physically and spiritually.  There is so much need, and God has given us so much to share.  Imagine what our society would look like if we made sure that everybody had enough to eat, in every sense of the word!
 
Yours in Christ,
Christopher+

​outh Group (grades 5-12) will resume Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm beginning TONIGHT, January 8. Certain weekend events will still be offered.
 
Youth Group Adults Needed: We need assistance with Youth Group Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm. If interested, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. Thank you!
 
Youth Choir will resume rehearsals on Sunday, January 19 from 9:00-9:50am in Kemper Hall. These rehearsals will take place of Sunday School on the 3rd Sunday of the month January-April. For further questions on how to get your child involved, contact choir director, Heidi Bates.
 
No Sunday School on Sunday, January 26 due to the All Saints Annual Meeting. There will be ONE service at 9:00am with brunch and meeting to follow.
 
Unity Night is an annual evening of ecumenical worship with youth in grades 6-12 from all over the Fox Valley. This year’s event will be Wednesday, January 29 from 6:00-8:00pm at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center. All Saints has 15 seats reserved. Bring a friend! This will take place of our usual Youth Group gathering.
 
30 Hour Famine is coming up Feb. 14-15 at St. Thomas, Menasha. This year, the event is sponsored by the Diocese of Fond du Lac! We will gather at 6:00pm on Friday and end by 6:00pm Saturday. This is open to students in grades 6-12 and adult leaders. CLICK HERE to sign-up!
 
Province V Youth Event (PYE20) is a gathering of high school students (grades 9-12) and adult leaders from dioceses around Province V, the Episcopal Church in the Upper Midwest. This year, we will go to Bellwether Farm in the Diocese of Ohio Feb. 28-Mar. 1. Cost is $100/person for the weekend, and scholarship assistance is available. CLICK HERE to sign-up by Monday, Jan. 20, and contact Erin Wolf at ewolf@diofdl.org for scholarship inquiries.
 
Episcopal Youth Event 2020 (EYE20) will take place July 6-12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. This is a triennial gathering of youth currently in grades 9-12 from all around the Episcopal Church. If your student would like to be a part of the delegation from the Diocese of Fond du Lac, CLICK HERE to apply by Friday, Jan. 31. Cost is $200/person, and the diocese will cover travel costs.
 
More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website.
 
Upcoming Events
Jan. 8: Youth Group resumes on Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00pm
Jan. 19: Youth Choir rehearsal, 9:00-9:50am in Kemper Hall
Jan. 19: Children’s Sermon at 10:00am service
Jan. 26: No Sunday School due to Annual Meeting
Jan. 29: Unity Night, 6:00-8:00pm at Fox Cities Exhibition Center, grades 6-12 & adults
Feb. 14-15: 30 Hour Famine, 6:00pm-6:00pm at St. Thomas, Menasha, grades 6-12 & adults
Feb. 28-Mar. 1: PYE20 at Bellwether Farm, Diocese of Ohio, grades 9-12 & adults
July 12-16: EYE20 at University of Maryland, College Park (Washington, D.C.)