From the Rector

SAVE THE DATE: 17 MARCH 2024 ~ PARISH FAMILY MEETING

SINGLE, COMBINED SERVICE @ 9:30; MEETING TO FOLLOW
  
 READ ON FOR THE WHAT & THE WHEREFORE:
  
The liturgical season of Lent is very nearly upon us, y’all! Lent is a time in the Church year distinguished by a special focus upon sin (both our individual, specific sins, and also the general sinfulness of the human world in which we live), repentance, penitence, penance, self-denial, as well as study of the Scriptures and the Christian Tradition.  It is sometimes considered to be a sad season, but that is mainly due to our fondness for our favorite sins and the discomfort we feel when we name and face our sins and feel called to repentance and penance. 
 
Which is too bad, really, because above all, Lent is a season of hope. Hope of a turning, a change of direction in our lives. Hope of reconciliation with people from whom we’ve been come distanced or estranged. Hope of restoration to grace and holiness through prayer, fasting, penitence, and forgiveness.
 
Lent can be a time of mourning; it is certainly a time of letting go; more than anything, it is a time to recognize that one’s old life is over, and that the only way to new life is through the Cross.
 
Well, that sounds very poetical, doesn’t it? In reality, it’s going to be hard, messy, probably painful, certainly filled with disagreement and tension, but also peppered with grace, healing, reconciliation, and love.
 
In other words, it’s pretty much gonna be a family affair.
 
And that’s why I’m calling our next parish-wide gathering, on 17 March 2024, a “Parish Family Meeting.” We’ve got a lot to talk about. A number of hard decisions have to be made, both short-term and long-term. Along the way, it is all but guaranteed that something (or someone) will make each of us feel angered, or hurt, or baffled … But I’m also betting that something (or someone) will make each of us laugh unexpectedly, or perhaps cry, as we feel fully seen and embraced. Just like family.
 
More details will follow as we plan the logistics of the meeting. And there will be structure, as well ~ we’re not just going to have a free-for-all! So be on the lookout for forthcoming announcements. Meanwhile, put Sunday, 17 March 2024, on your calendar and please plan to attend. We’ll do the same thing we did for the Annual Meeting: a single, combined service at 9:30 with the meeting to follow in the parish hall.
 
I hope that this meeting will be the first of several that we’ll hold throughout this year as we seek to discern God’s will for All Saints and to walk the Way of the Cross together. In the meantime, please continue to reach out to me via phone, text, and/or email; let’s keep the conversation going!
 
Peace and blessings in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
C+

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