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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:
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.
 The bishop wears two particular pieces of head-gear. The first is a zucchetto, a purple cap. Its purpose is to keep the head warm in drafty, cold cathedrals.  The other is the mitre. It has many associations. Its two sharp peaks represent the flames of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost (see Acts 2:3). The lappets, or two tails which hang down behind, are reminiscent of two large book marks, said to represent the Old and New Testaments. The bishop removes the mitre for the proclamation of the Gospel and to approach God in prayer.  The bishop wears a pectoral cross.  The bishop also wears an episcopal ring. It symbolizes the call to faithfulness to the diocese. It has been compared to a wedding ring. It is also a custom for bishops to put a cross before their signatures, as in “+John Smith,” for example. (Priests customarily place one after their signatures, as in “John Smith+.)
Please plan to join us on February 16th for the episcopal visitation ~ I encourage you all to take part in this important aspect of our shared Episcopal life. Christopher+ _____________ 1 "Episcopal Visitation," An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, The Episcopal Church, https://episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/episcopal-visitation, from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians, Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.  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.) Peace and greetings in the name of Christ Jesus our Savior! Welcome to this time of transition. I hope, pray, and trust that it will be a holy time of discernment, exploration, community-building, and celebration of God's grace and power at work in this place.
It might be tempting to imagine that, now that we’re all together, rector and congregation, the long period of transition is over … but the truth is that it is only now that we can finally begin this challenging but exciting work of transition. Transition is hard—let’s be honest with ourselves about that. But for my part, I’d argue that what comes before the transition is even harder: the end of a previous chapter, the soul-searching work of discernment to discover what might come next, and the waiting, all the waiting, until the timing is just right and all the pieces can come together. The good news is that that part of the journey is over—we’re here, we’re together, and we’re ready to move forward. We can now begin the work of transition. It’s delicate work because transition, by definition, means change, and that’s something many of us Episcopalians prefer to approach out of an abundance of caution. (If you haven’t heard the joke about how many Episcopalians it takes to change a light bulb, be sure to ask me sometime!) Such caution is often wise. In our particular case, you all need time to get to know me, and I definitely need time to get to know all of you—not only as individuals, but also as a parish family, as a worshipping community. I need to learn your history, your culture, your rhythms and patterns, and (as I mentioned in my first sermon with you) your stories. In the larger society around us, we often treat the “in-between-ness” of transition as something to push through, preferably as quickly as possible, in order to arrive at the Next Thing. Don’t dawdle; don’t waste time. Got places to be and things to do. There is an old Cherokee belief, however, that in-between things are sacred—precisely because they are in-between. The beach is a sacred place because it is in-between the land and the sea; a mountain is sacred because it is in-between the earth and the sky. In-between places are places where connections can be made. Fortunately, we have similar teachings in our own faith tradition. As we say in the Rite I Prayers of the People, Jesus Christ is our great mediator and advocate, who stands in-between struggling humanity and the ultimate Godhead, connecting us to God. Our Anglican tradition is itself famous for its via media, the “middle way” between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Often that expression is misunderstood to mean a patchwork borrowing of “a little from Column A, and a little from Column, B.” More accurately, our via media is a reconciling and a unifying of opposite poles along a common axis. Jesus Christ, again, is the perfect example: in our theology, we understand Jesus Christ to be both fully human and fully divine at the same time. Not “half and half,” but truly and deeply “both and,” in a new and transformative way. In a parallel to that, our popular culture tends to define “mystery” as “a problem to be solved.” But our tradition teaches something different: a mystery is a reality to be experienced, not a puzzle for us to figure out. Thus, instead of arguing, for instance, about how exactly Christ is really present in the Eucharist and getting bogged down in arcane discussions of transubstantiation vs. consubstantiation vs. memorial reenactment, etc., Anglican theology says, “Christ is really and truly present in the Eucharist; come and experience it for yourself!” It’s the experience that transforms us! Times of transition and in-between-ness are rarely comfortable. The thing about the in-between, about interstitial spaces, though, is that those are the places where real connection becomes possible. Connections even between things that at first glance seem to have nothing in common with each other. So I invite you (as I encourage myself!) to experience these transitions in our lives and our community and our world as fully as we can, and to fight the urge to hurry and push through them. God can use opportunities like this to help us get connected—God can use these experiences of transition to transform us—if we will give God the chance. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I am so excited as I consider the possibilities that lie before us. I’m really looking forward to seeing what God is doing here among the people of All Saints Episcopal Church, and I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to be part of that great work. Yours in Christ, Christopher+  #AdventWord: For those seeking a new way to explore and experience Advent this year, consider checking out #AdventWord, a global, online calendar. Meditations and images will be offered daily through Virginia Theological Seminary each day beginning Sunday, Dec. 1. These can be found through email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and American Sign Language videos on YouTube. This year, meditations will be offered in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
St. Nicholas Gifts: Thank you so much to everyone who contributed gifts for our annual St. Nicholas visit. All gifts are being donated to Harbor House domestic abuse shelter in Appleton. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! Kids’ Day In: Kids ages 4-11 are welcome to Kemper Hall from 1:00-4:00pm. Students in grades 6-12 & adult leaders are needed to assist with the festivities for the day. Also this year, Youth Choir will meet from 1:00-2:00pm with the adult choir in the church then join the event after. Non-choir students will have activities going during that time. While there is no cost to attend, all must sign-up. CLICK HERE to save your spot either as a participant or a volunteer! Youth Group Adults Needed: We need assistance with Youth Group from 6:30-8:00pm on both December 15 & December 22 to finish out the 2019 calendar year. If you’re a responsible adult who enjoys students and is willing to assist, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. Thank you! || For those interested in helping out in 2020, we will be moving our gathering times (see announcement below). Youth Group Gathering Change! Youth Group (open to those in grades 5-12) will be moving to Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00pm beginning on Wednesday, January 8. This move is following conversations with families and survey feedback from parents. Certain weekend/Sunday events at All Saints, with other churches, diocesan events, and so forth will still be offered. Thank you to parents & Fr. Christopher for offering your time and insights! No Sunday School or Youth Group on Sunday, December 29th due to Winter Break. Resources for Families: For any families looking for resources to use at home for daily devotions, family prayers, and other related practices, check out the new Resources page on the All Saints Youth Ministry website! It currently offers several online resources, as well as some book recommendations for faith at home use. More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Dec. 1: #AdventWord online Advent calendar begins Dec. 14: Kids’ Day In, 1-4pm; Youth Choir, 1-2pm Dec. 15: Children’s Sermon & Youth Choir at 10:00am service Dec. 15: Adult volunteer needed for Youth Group, 6:30-8pm Dec. 22: Adult volunteer needed for Youth Group, 6:30-8pm Dec. 24: Christmas Eve services: 5pm (with hymns & Children’s Sermon), 9pm (with choir) Dec. 25: Christmas Day service: 10am (with hymns) Dec. 29: No Sunday School or Youth Group—Winter Break  No Sunday School or Youth Group on Sunday, December 1st due to the holiday weekend. However, all are encouraged to be present for both the 1st Sunday of Advent and our first Sunday with Fr. Christopher Wilkerson!
#AdventWord: For those seeking a new way to explore and experience Advent this year, consider checking out #AdventWord, a global, online calendar. Meditations and images will be offered daily through Virginia Theological Seminary each day beginning Sunday, Dec. 1. These can be found through email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and American Sign Language videos on YouTube. This year, meditations will be offered in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. Banner Candles: On each of the four Sundays of Advent, we will be “lighting” our Advent banner (Velcro felt flames) and having a short prayer to go with it at the start of the 10:00am service. Any children & older students are welcome to participate. If your student would like to assist, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. Dec. 8: St. Nicholas will be visiting All Saints once again! Parishioners & children are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toy or book to give to a child staying at Harbor House this holiday season. All donations will be taken over during the week following, so if you miss bringing a gift on Sunday, please get it to All Saints no later than NOON on Wednesday, Dec. 11. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Kids’ Day In: Kids ages 4-11 are welcome to Kemper Hall from 1:00-4:00pm. Students in grades 6-12 & adult leaders are needed to assist with the festivities for the day. Also this year, Youth Choir will meet from 1:00-2:00pm with the adult choir in the church then join the event after. Non-choir students will have activities going during that time. While there is no cost to attend, all must sign-up. CLICK HERE to save your spot either as a participant or a volunteer! Youth Group Adults Needed: As we require a minimum of two adults present for Youth Group gatherings. Please contact Erin at asygappleton@gmail.com for further info. THANK YOU—we greatly appreciate you, your time, and your presence! More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Dec. 1: No Sunday School/Youth Group | Advent 1 | Fr. Christopher’s first Sunday Dec. 1: #AdventWord online Advent calendar begins Dec. 3: Movie outing to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PG), Valley Grand Dec. 8: St. Nicholas Visit & Gifts for children at Harbor House Dec. 14: Kids’ Day In, 1-4pm; Youth Choir, 1-2pm  Hello All Saints, Please see the September financial results below. My submission is late due to adjusting to some unexpected events in my personal life which seem to be the norm this year. In the words of my favorite Tony Bennett song written by Carolyn Leigh, “The Best Is Yet To Come”..right? The unexpected is the time that I need to pray to have faith in God’s plan for my life and not try to rush His agenda. One thing that has been consistent during All Saints’ unexpected transition is your support for All Saints and waiting for God’s plan to unfold. September was an eye-opening, double checking, off the records amazing month for the church finances. Pledges were $8,101.66 over budget and YTD $22,125.03 over budget. We also received a very generous one-time stock gift reflected in the total purposed income, causing it to be $16,788.59 over budget for the month. Thank you to our All Saints family who may not live close to us physically but are still in our hearts and continue to give generously to the church. We miss you, we pray for you, and we are grateful for your continued support of All Saints. Operating expenses were $11,019.75 under budget this month due to the timing of the supply priest expenses and not having a full-time rector. Bottom line, All Saints had a surplus (more incoming cash that out-going cash) of $26,801.92 in September and YTD of $31,178.72. This surplus will help to fund the potential deficit we will see in 2020 when we have Father Christopher with us. The words Thank You are not enough to express the gratitude I feel towards our All Saints family. We came together over the past year and committed ourselves to give our time, talents, and treasure to keeping the All Saints mission alive. Thank you to the Vestry, Staff, and Members who share a common belief that God is working through All Saints. Alicia Thornton Bayambang   Congratulations to Ellyn Lepisto on her Confirmation this past Sunday! Thank you also to Bishop Matt & Leslie Gunter for their visit to the parish.
Terminator Night, an annual Youth Group outing to St. Thomas Episcopal in Menasha, will take place this Sunday, Nov. 17 from 5:00-7:00pm. This is open to those in grades 6-12 & adult leaders and will take place of our usual gathering. Friends are welcome, dinner included, no cost! No Sunday School or Youth Group on Sunday, December 1st due to the holiday weekend. However, all are encouraged to be present for both the 1st Sunday of Advent and our first Sunday with Fr. Christopher Wilkerson! Movie Outing: On Tuesday, Dec. 3, ALL are welcome to join and see the upcoming Mr. Rogers movie, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (NR) at the Marcus Valley Grand (Appleton East location). Cost is $5/person (and discounted concessions are also available). Movie times will be released about a week ahead of time, but I have requested a start time within the 6-7pm hour. Please RSVP by Sunday, Nov. 17 to save your spot. Confirmation/Reception: For those wishing to learn more about the process for Confirmation or to be Received into the Episcopal Church (offered to those Confirmed within other Christian denominations), there will be a short informational meeting on Sunday, Nov. 24. Contact Erin at asygappleton@gmail.com for more information. Dec. 8: St. Nicholas will be visiting All Saints once again! Parishioners & children are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toy or book to give to a child staying at Harbor House this holiday season. All donations will be taken over during the week following, so if you miss bringing a gift on Sunday, please get it to All Saints no later than Wednesday, Dec. 11. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Kids’ Day In: Kids ages 4-11 are welcome to Kemper Hall from 1:00-4:00pm. Students in grades 6-12 & adult leaders are needed to assist with the festivities for the day. Also this year, Youth Choir will meet from 1:00-2:00pm with the adult choir in the church, then join the event after. Non-choir students will have activities going during that time. There is no cost to attend, but you must sign-up. CLICK HERE to get signed up either as a participant or a volunteer! Youth Group Adults Needed: As we require a minimum of two adults present for Youth Group gatherings. Please contact Erin at asygappleton@gmail.com for further info. THANK YOU—we greatly appreciate you, your time, and your presence! More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Nov. 17: RSVP due for Movie Outing Dec. 1: No Sunday School/Youth Group | Advent 1 | Fr. Christopher’s first Sunday Dec. 3: Movie outing to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (NR), Valley Grand Dec. 8: St. Nicholas Visit & Gifts for children at Harbor House Dec. 14: Kids’ Day In, 1-4pm; Youth Choir, 1-2pm  I want to tell you all that I met and got to talk with Fr. Christopher Wilkerson, your soon to be Rector, last weekend and see him again last Sunday. He strikes me as a very committed and faithful person who has committed himself to being with you in ministry, for he believes he has been called by our Lord to Appleton, to do just that. This Sunday will be the last Sunday at All Saints for me as your regular supply clergy, and while my initial tenure was to be for a shorter time than over a year, please know that each week has been a blessing for me.
The All Saints family is a lovely and loving, diverse, faithful and talented group of Christians who I have been honored to serve this past year. Know that Stacey and I will be praying for your continued service to our Lord and your growth in Spirit and ministry. Be blessed in loving God, each other and all you are called to serve and do not be deterred nor diverted from your course of faithfulness and love by those who would follow another course. Do all in His love and be as Christ to one another. Blessings, +Jim  Well done, All Saints family! We had a great presence at each Diocesan Convention, Convention Eucharist, the Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In, and the Way of Love Revival! From attending events to serving at Eucharist to volunteering time at each of the different things to help keep things flowing—All Saints was very well represented across the board!
Thank you to All Saints for hosting the Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In this weekend! We had about 50 people from Dioceses of Fond du Lac and beyond join for the weekend. Nov. 3: Bishop Jim & Stacey Adams will be saying “Farewell for now” following this coming Sunday. Be sure to join for services as we wish them well and thank them for their time with the parish during the transition. Nov. 10: Bishop Matt Gunter will be making his annual visitation to All Saints for both services. Confirmation will also take place at the 10:00am service, so please be sure to come and lend your support to the newly Confirmed! Nov 10: Following the 10:00am service, anyone in grades 2-12 is welcome to join for a Paper Packing Party at the Walter’s House in Oshkosh. We will be leaving All Saints at 12:30pm and returning by 4:00pm. This will take place of the usual Youth Group gathering, and we do ask that students in grades 2-4 bring a grown-up with them. Permission forms can be found HERE. Movie Outing: On Tuesday, Dec. 3, ALL are welcome to join and see the upcoming Mr. Rogers movie, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (NR) at the Marcus Valley Grand (Appleton East location). Cost is $5/person (and discounted concessions are also available). Movie times will be released about a week ahead of time, but I have requested a start time within the 6-7pm hour. Please RSVP by Sunday, Nov. 17 to save your spot. Dec. 8: St. Nicholas will be visiting All Saints once again! Parishioners & children are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toy or book to give to a child staying at Harbor House this holiday season. All donations will be taken over during the week following, so if you miss bringing a gift on Sunday, please get it to All Saints no later than Wednesday, Dec. 11. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Youth Group Adults Needed: As we require a minimum of two adults present for Youth Group gatherings. Please contact Erin at asygappleton@gmail.com for further info. THANK YOU—we greatly appreciate you, your time, and your presence! More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Nov. 3: Bishop Jim Adams last Sunday at All Saints Nov. 10: Bishop Matt Gunter Visitation (both services) & Confirmation (10:00am service) Nov. 10: Paper Packing Party at the Walter’s House, 12:30-4:00pm, grades 2-12 & adults Nov. 17: RSVP due for Movie Outing Dec. 3: Movie outing to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (NR) Dec. 8: St. Nicholas Visit & Gifts for children at Harbor House  October greetings to all! Here’s what’s ahead for the students and families of All Saints!
Thank you to the Youth Group, Diane Harper, and Dr. Bryan Mick of Doty Island Dental for contributing your time, talents, and gifts in preparing or providing for the College Care Packages! Youth Group Adults Needed: As we require a minimum of two adults present for Youth Group gatherings, we are seeking adults from the parish to help out on Sundays. Please contact Erin at asygappleton@gmail.com for further info. THANK YOU—we greatly appreciate you, your time, and your presence! Youth Choir: The Youth Choir will rehearse next this Sunday, Oct. 20 from 9:00-9:50am. If your student is interested in participating but wasn’t able to be present for the first rehearsal, they can still join! Contact director Heidi Bates for more info. The rehearsal schedule may be found on the Youth Choir page of the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Camp Way of Love Stories: Some of the All Saints students who attended Diocesan Summer Camp will be speaking this Sunday, Oct. 20 during the 10:00am service about their experiences with the Way of Love at camp. This will take place of the Children’s Sermon, and all are encouraged to come support our students and hear their stories. Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In: Sign-up for the Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In! This event is open to grades 6-12 & adult volunteers and will be held here at All Saints Oct. 25-27. We will be joining for the Way of Love Revival, and students will have a chance to meet Presiding Bishop Michael Curry! Sign-up today at diofdl.org/lockin! Cost is $30/person, and scholarship assistance is available. Youth Group will still meet from 6:30-8:00pm Sunday night for Game Night for those interested. Sunday, Oct. 27: The students & adult leaders of the Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In will be joining the All Saints community for worship at the 10:00am service. Please welcome them warmly and feel free to ask them about their experience! More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Oct. 20: Youth Choir rehearsal, Kemper Hall, 9:00-9:50am | Camp Stories at 10am service Oct. 25-27: Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In, grades 6-12 & adult leaders, All Saints Oct. 27: Dio Youth Lock-In at 10:00am service | Game Night at Youth Group, 6:30-8:00pm  Well, it is going to happen. Beginning soon you will be able to come to Church, call the Church office, have someone go to the hospital, stop in and visit at the Church during the week and talk to your pastor. And when asked, "who is the priest at All Saints?", you can answer the question simply, "Our Rector and priest is Father Christopher Wilkerson.” Thanks be to God!
As most of you know I came a little over a year ago, for three months to be your supply priest. We have been together for the last 12 or 13 months and things have changed from time to time, as my time, your needs and circumstances happened. That always is the case in a Church which is alive. But the one thing that should not always change is the priest. But now it is and I pray you should not have to see another change for a good long time. But other things will change, which will be forward looking and growing, as change happens. As it always does. Gone is the time when some people went to Church “because it is always the same”. We have learned the alive, growing and active congregations are always being changed. Growth can not happen without it and it is the Church’s mandate to grow the Kingdom. And our part is the Church. It has been my honor to serve you in a limited capacity, and it will be an honor and delight to see you all again. But for a while it will not be on a regular basis and I expect no calls for pastoral or liturgical reasons, except for prayer. It was always my conviction, as a Diocesan Bishop, to never allow a priest to appear at a Church they have served, for a goodly period of time when the new priest comes. And then only as the priest and Bishop request. Bishop Matt agrees and so I will see you once or twice before Fr. Wilkerson comes. I have new friends at All Saints and many old friends from when I was around in the 1980s. Stacey and I cherish everyone here at All Saints and we will continue to pray for you and this mission of God’s Kingdom in Appleton. May God’s blessing, mercy and grace be always upon you all. +Jim  Autumnal greetings to all! Here’s what’s ahead for the students and families of All Saints!
Spanferkel German Fest: Join us from 5:00-9:00pm on Saturday, Oct. 12 on the North Lawn (corner of Drew & Washington streets) for a German pig roast and live music! For anyone wishing to help with the event or to RSVP, there are sign-up sheets on the bulletin board next to the library, or you may contact the Parish Office at 920-734-3656. The suggested donation is $15 per adult or $30 for a family. Contact Carol Jegen for more info at allsaintsapple@tds.net. College Care Packages: For the last few years, the Youth Group has been assembling care packages for college students connected to All Saints—former Youth Group members, Lawrence University choristers, and others connected to the parish. We will be putting packages together again this year on Sunday, Oct. 13 from 12:30-2:00pm (please note time change). If you have a student that we should send a package to or would like to partner with us as a donor (financial or in-kind items), coming to help pack the boxes, or help deliver/mail packages, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. If your student is receiving a package, please include any necessary dietary/allergen information so we may plan accordingly. Thank you! Youth Group Adults Needed: As we require a minimum of two adults present for Youth Group gatherings, we are seeking adults from the parish to help out on Sundays. The Youth Group calendar can be found HERE, and dates where help is needed is available is available upon request. Please contact Erin at asygappleton@gmail.com for further info. THANK YOU—we greatly appreciate you, your time, and your presence! Youth Choir: The Youth Choir held its first rehearsal for the 2019-2020 school year. If your student is interested in participating but wasn’t able to be present, fear not! Contact director Heidi Bates for more info. It is open to students ages 4 and up, and the rehearsal schedule may be found on the new Youth Choir page of the All Saints Youth Ministry website. The next rehearsal will take place Sunday, Oct. 20 from 9:00-9:50am in Kemper Hall. Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In: Sign-up for the Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In! This event is open to grades 6-12 & adult volunteers and will be held here at All Saints Oct. 25-27. We will be joining for the Way of Love Revival, and students will have a chance to meet Presiding Bishop Michael Curry! Sign up today at diofdl.org/lockin! Cost is $30/person, and scholarship assistance is available. Youth Group will still meet from 6:30-8:00pm Sunday night for Game Night for those interested. More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Oct. 12: Spanferkel Pig Roast on North Lawn, 5:00-9:00pm Oct. 13: College Care Packages at Youth Group, 12:30-2:00pm (note time change) Oct. 20: Youth Choir rehearsal, Kemper Hall, 9:00-9:50am | Children’s Sermon at 10am service Oct. 25-27: Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In, grades 6-12 & adult leaders, All Saints Oct. 27: Game Night at Youth Group, 6:30-8:00pm
 Dear All Saints Family, Finances continued to remain stable in August. Total giving was $15,618.26 versus a budget of $16,916.67. The slight dip is common in the summer months and September is looking fantastic for giving as of today. Year-to-date giving through August is $149,356.70 which is $14,023.37 higher than the budget of $135,333.33. I reformatted the report this month to group all non-endowment giving. Purposed and General income which include giving designated for flowers, building use, and Scrip are under budget. However, we are fully covering our expenses for 2019 so this is not necessarily a negative, total YTD Operating expense is $35,648.13 under budget. A plan to present a demonstration on how to sign up for SCRIP online is in the works. Watch for the event this fall. Endowment is also under budget because we have not needed the budgeted 5% draw from the endowments due to having excess cash. A decision was made to not draw from the Endowment as planned since we did not need the cash. That way the endowments continue to grow and earn in the investment accounts. The excess cash was due to finalizing the reimbursements for the 2012-2018 expenses due from the endowments. Operating expenses for August were $3,578.05 under budget overall primarily due to not having a full time rector (approximately $42,000 in savings YTD) and organ maintenance expense is under budget YTD, which could be due to the timing of the work. Additionally, the timing of the quarterly property insurance payment resulted in favorability that will be evened out when we pay the bill in September. All Saints ended in a net SURPLUS (more money came in than was paid out) for the month of August amounting to $3,578.05 and a YTD SURPLUS of $4,376.80. Thank you again for your continued giving through this transition period. As you may know, a rector has accepted the call to All Saints. I ask for your prayers and discernment about how we might change financially going forward to cover the additional financial expenses of a full-time rector. We are creating a draft budget for 2020 which will reflect the great cost saving initiatives we implement in 2019. However, there is still more work to do if we want a balanced budget. Please keep the Vestry, Finance Committee, and Stewardship Committee in your prayers as we work on this important goal. In His Love, Alicia Thornton Bayambang   The 2019-2020 school year at All Saints has begun! Keep reading to see what’s coming up in Youth Ministry in the parish.
Thank you to those who helped with Cool Drinks & Coloring this summer! It was a great way to greet members of the community and other passersby on Saturday mornings. We appreciate all your help! Youth Group Adults Needed: As we require a minimum of two adults present for Youth Group gatherings, I am seeking adult volunteers to help me out on Sunday evenings. The Youth Group calendar can be found HERE—if interested and available, please contact me at asygappleton@gmail.com for further info. We truly do need (and appreciate) the help—we cannot hold Youth Group without you, so please consider sharing your time with us. Thank you! Youth Choir: The Youth Choir will be returning for the 2019-2020 school year, once again under the direction of Heidi & Ian Bates! It is open to students ages 4 and up, and the rehearsal schedule may be found on the new Youth Choir page of the All Saints Youth Ministry website. If you’re interested in learning more about this offering for your student(s), please contact Heidi Bates. The first rehearsal will take place Sunday, Sept. 22 from 9:00-9:50am in Kemper Hall. College Care Packages: For the last few years, the Youth Group has been assembling care packages for college students connected to All Saints—former Youth Group members, Lawrence University choristers, and others connected to the parish. We will be putting packages together again this year on Sunday, Oct. 13 from 6:30-8:00pm. If you have a student that we should send a package to or would like to partner with us as a donor (financial or in-kind items), coming to help pack the boxes, or help deliver/mail packages, please contact Erin Wolf at asygappleton@gmail.com. If your student is receiving a package, please include any necessary dietary/allergen information so we may plan accordingly. Thank you! Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In: It’s not too early to register for the Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In! This event is open to grades 6-12 & adult volunteers and will be held right here at All Saints Oct. 25-27! We will be joining the Way of Love Revival on Saturday, and Sunday, we will end our time with worship at the 10:00am service. Sign-up today at diofdl.org/lockin! Cost is $30/person, and scholarship assistance is available. Youth Group will still meet from 6:30-8:00pm Sunday night for Game Night for those interested. More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Sept. 22: Youth Choir resumes, ages 4 & up Oct. 13: College Care Packages at Youth Group, 6:30-8:00pm Oct. 20: Youth Choir rehearsal in Kemper Hall, 9:00-9:50am Oct. 20: Children’s Sermon at 10:00am service Oct. 25-27: Diocesan Youth Fall Lock-In, grades 6-12 & adult leaders, All Saints Oct. 27: Game Night at Youth Group, 6:30-8:00pm  Welcome to the 2019-2020 School Year at All Saints! Keep reading to see what’s coming up for students as we return for Sunday School, Youth Group, Youth Choir, and more!
Sept. 8: Sunday School and Youth Group gatherings resume. Parents should bring completed registration forms with to the Undercroft/Sunday School area from 9:00-9:50am. Youth Group will meet in the Youth Room from 6:30-8:00pm. CLICK HERE for working calendars for each of the classes (subject to change). If you’d like to know where to send your student Sunday mornings and more details about upcoming gatherings, CLICK HERE to join the Youth Ministry Weekly Update email! Youth Group Adults Needed: To keep in-line with a minimum of two adults present for Youth Group gatherings, I am seeking adult volunteers to help me out on Sunday evenings. The Youth Group calendar can be found HERE—if interested and available, please contact me at asygappleton@gmail.com for further info. We truly do need (and appreciate) the help—we cannot hold Youth Group without you, so please consider sharing your time with us. Thank you! Nursery Update: Please make sure to say hello to our new Nursery Attendants, Andrew Ring & Mallory Retzlaff! They will be starting in the Nursery on Sept. 8 as our hours change to accommodate the Sunday School hour as well as the first chunk of the 10:00am service (kids should be picked up by or just after announcement time). We’re excited to bring them on-board! Cool Drinks & Coloring: We could use a few sets of hands on Saturday, September 14 from 9:00am-Noon. Sign-up on the bulletin board by the server schedule, or you may contact Emily in the Parish Office. This outreach opportunity is a great way to greet people in our communities, and it’s a fairly simple way to talk with folks about All Saints. This is also a great way to talk about the upcoming revival in October with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry! Check out the Way of Love Revival Preparation Prayer to continue praying for our diocese as preparations continue! Sept. 15: There will be a Children’s Sermon at the 10:00am service. Youth Choir: The Youth Choir will be returning for the 2019-2020 school year, once again under the direction of Heidi & Ian Bates! It is open to students ages 4 and up, and the rehearsal schedule may be found on the new Youth Choir page of the All Saints Youth Ministry website. If you’re interested in learning more about this offering for your student(s), please contact Heidi Bates. The first rehearsal will take place Sunday, Sept. 22 from 9:00-9:50am in Kemper Hall. More Information for Youth Ministry can be found at the All Saints Youth Ministry website. Upcoming Events Sept. 7: Cool Drinks & Coloring, 9:00am-12:00pm Sept. 8: Sunday School & Youth Group resume, Nursery hours change Sept. 15: Children’s Sermon at 10:00am service Sept. 22: Youth Choir resumes, ages 4 & up  Dear All Saints Family, Finances continued to remain stable in July. Total giving was $15,594.33 versus a budget of $16,916.67, The slight dip is common in the summer months. Year-to-date giving is $133,738.44 which is $15,321.77 higher than the budget of $118,416.67. Purposed and Investments income appear to be under budget because we have not needed the budgeted 5% draw from the endowments due to having excess cash. The excess cash was due to finalizing the reimbursements for the 2012-2018 expenses due from the endowments. General Income is showing as unfavorable primarily due to the Scrip income. Scrip continues to grow, however we need your support of the program to achieve the $10,000 goal. An easy way to help with this goal is to buy Scrip cards to spend at the grocery store. If every family purchased $150-200 in Scrip cards per month we could achieve our goal. I don’t know about you, but our household grocery bill would cover the $150-200 and then some. Operating expenses were $8,342.78 under budget primarily due to not having a full time rector. We paid the invoice in July for the Churchwerkes consulting covering the past year totaling $1,756.80. Thank you again to Bishop Matt for sponsoring this important work with a gift from his discretionary fund. Year-to date we have a $798.75 surplus. Thank you again for your continued support of God’s work through All Saints. Kind Regards, Alicia Bayambang  |
