Midweek Eucharist services are canceled on Wednesday, July 9.
Read ahead, follow along, and pray with the Saints using the “lectionary insert” for this Sunday.
Archbishop Steve Wood shares his vision for the province in the upcoming years, especially the goal to provide “good ground” for the work of dioceses and churches.
Lord God, by your providence our founders won their liberties of old…
Mama Rose Reid’s Funeral will take place on Thursday, November 9. The order will take place as follows:
Viewing in church Atrium at 9:00 a.m.
Funeral Service at 10:00 a.m.
Immediately following the completion of the service there will be a reception in the Atrium. All are invited.
Griefshare’s Surviving the Holidays Zoom with Deacon Julie & Deacon Andy is this Friday, November 3 from 7-9 p.m. It’s not too late to register to participate!
Bittersweet memories. Loss of traditions. An empty seat at the table. The holiday season can trigger sadness and despair for people grieving a loss. Join us for a 2-hour Zoom event called Surviving the Holidays where we talk about how to deal with grief around the holiday season: Friday, November 3, 7-9 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.
How Surviving the Holiday Works
Relatable Video: The event begins with a 35-minute video that will help you feel understood and encouraged, with stories of people who have found healing after loss and practical tips from experts.
Small-group Discussion: After the video, you will be given a safe, nonjudgmental space to share your experiences and feelings with the group—or simply listen. There’s no pressure to talk if you don’t want to!
Survival Guide: You will be given a Holiday Survival Guide full of tips on how to navigate the season, including coping with painful emotions, handling social events and traditions, and more. (Cost: $7.00)
November is National Adoption Month in America and All Saints' Church is participating throughout the month with information and support. Last Sunday we heard testimonies about adoption from within our own congregation. This Sunday, November 19 we are taking up a special offering for the Anglican Adoption Fund administered by Anglicans for Life. Please consider making a generous donation to help support Anglican families seeking to adopt, as it is a very costly process.
Thora Davis’s funeral service will take place on Friday, November 3. The visitation will be from 9-10 a.m. with the service at 10 a.m. There will be a reception immediately following the service. A private family interment ceremony will take place later in the day.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be given to these organizations:
The ARC of Greater Prince William County
13505 Hillendale Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22193
The Church Office will be closed on the following dates in November
Monday, November 13
Tuesday, November 14
Thursday, November 23 (Thanksgiving Day- One Service @ 10 a.m.)
Thursday, November 30
Wednesday, November 1 there will be no midweek Eucharist at 6:30 or 8 a.m. Midweek Eucharist will resume on 11/8.
For our final interview in the 2023 edition of “Getting to Know the Church” we heard from our new Parish Administrator, Elizabeth Munzert. The position of Parish Administrator includes so many responsibilities and is truly at the center of the church’s day-to-day operations. Elizabeth has brought joy to her new position, and we are grateful for her willingness to step into such a vital role! She answered a few questions to help us get to know her more.
What brought you to ASC and how did you find yourself in this new position?
My husband Kim, and I did some research on Anglicanism and thought we would give All Saints' Church a try. The liturgy was familiar to us because we were both raised in the Catholic Church as children, but it was Father Scott's preaching that made us return week after week. As to how I found myself in my new position, it was decidedly the hand of the Lord. Early this year the Lord impressed on me that He had something for me this year. I had no idea what that meant. A few weeks later I learned my position at work would be phased out by the end of 2023. After much, much prayer I spoke with Father Scott and Desiree about applying for the position. I think this is what the Lord was preparing me for in January.
Where did you first get plugged in at All Saints’ Church?
My husband, Kim, and I began serving at the Monthly Food Giveaways several months after we first started attending. We started by helping on Thursdays with sorting the food, then we moved into helping on Saturday mornings at the actual giveaways. We served as bagging buddies, worked at the food tables, and now serve as greeters. It was the perfect way to serve the community and get to know others in the church.
What does your day-to-day look like as Parish Administrator?
Every day is a new adventure! I've learned there is no such thing as a typical day because the needs, requests, and requirements are quite varied.
What's been the most unexpected thing about this position?
The most unexpected thing is how much I've had to learn about HVAC, fire panels, backflow, lighting, and other physical plant matters very quickly. This job is not just computers and keyboards.
What has been the highlight so far about working at a church?
Easy question. I've never worked with so many truly kind, helpful people (and I've had the good fortune to work with many fine people).
What is your hope for All Saints' Church in the coming year?
My hope would be that we would all pray to know what God's plan and vision is for All Saints' and work together moving forward toward whatever that plan is. My other hope would be that people who have not really been involved in an area of ministry at All Saints' would volunteer to do one thing in 2024. If many people just do one thing, so much could be accomplished.
What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading Mere Christianity (again) by C.S. Lewis, A Severed Wasp by Madeleine L'Engle, The Good and Beautiful God (for the Christian Ed class on Sundays) by James Bryan Smith, and actually quite a few other books which are in the book piles on my bedside table and dresser.
What is your favorite part of the Bible to study/read?
My three favorite books are Isaiah, Psalms, and Philippians.
How can we pray for you?
However you feel led by the Lord. He knows better than I do.
Please take a look at the Lost & Found bin in the back hallway by the coat racks. Any items that have not been picked up by November 12 will be donated!
This Sunday, October 29 is Pledge Sunday. There will be a time after the sermon to bring your family’s pledge for 2024 up to the Altar in the offering plates. If you still have questions about tithing, read this brochure. You can also submit your pledge online here. To see just some of the ministries your tithe supports take a look at the Because You Gave brochure here.
Read ahead, follow along, and pray with the Saints using the “lectionary insert” for this Sunday.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 28 from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. when we will gather for our seasonal Fall Workday!
Tasks to complete:
Spread compost and overseed
Clean up community garden
Work on other gardens
Cleanup Gideon Drive
Prune growth from base of trees
Please bring:
Iron rakes
Shovels
Pruning shears
Work gloves
Read ahead, follow along, and pray with the Saints using the “lectionary insert” for this Sunday.
Sunday, October 22 we continue our fourth Sunday prayer and worship hour from 6-7 p.m. at All Saints’ Church in the sanctuary. Join us as we pray for our congregation, community, and upcoming outreach events. Please note, RSVP’s are required to Tara for childcare.
This Sunday, October 22 is the fourth Sunday of the month which means your name tag is available for pickup! If you filled out the sign-up sheet on the second Sunday, submitted the online form, or have yet to pick up your nametag from previous months, stop by the name tag table to pick up yours!
With this year's Pre-Synod workshop topic "The Art of Neighboring: Going Deeper with People in Your Neighborhood," (Saturday, November 17, read more and pre-register here) and all that God is doing within our church with community outreach, All Saints' once again encourages you "to be overflowing with God's love..." in your neighborhood this Halloween as you “Shine Your Light this Night!” Don’t miss the chance to bring the light and love of Jesus to a dark night by sharing Christian hospitality and friendship. To Shine Your Light for Jesus in your neighborhood, you might:
· Decorate in a way that proclaims Light and Life, perhaps with spotlights, cheerful Fall decor, and/or simply turn on all your lights.
. Invite an elderly or lonely neighbor to join you in handing out candy, or to enjoy your firepit or yard.
. Invite a new neighbor or one that does not have a church home to spend the evening with you.
· Borrow a lawn game from church for children to play and set it up in your yard.
· Pick up a Christian Pumpkin template from church and carve away.
· Offer visiting parents a small bottled water for their journey.
· Engage parents in conversation as their children play a game or select a treat.
· Add labels that have a neighborly message to your treats (available in the atrium).
· Hand out glow sticks to the children.
Shine Your Light this Night is another opportunity to demonstrate that Faith and Life really do connect!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
For my brothers and companions' sake
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good. -Psalm 122 6-9
Dear All Saints’ Church Family,
In light of the ongoing and tragic situation in Israel and Gaza triggered by the recent Hamas attacks, please join with me in praying for Israel and the residents of Gaza. Please pray especially for the following:
Pray for wisdom for the leadership of Israel of other nations working for a resolution to the conflict.
Pray for strength for the medical services.
Pray for mercy and the safe return of those who have been taken hostage.
Pray for the people of Gaza that they would come to know Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Pray for civilians on all sides who are caught in the middle of this war.
Above all, pray for peace. Pray for the swords to be beaten into plowshears. Pray for the peoples of the region to seek God’s face. Pray for the Lord’s healing over this land, a place so dear to His heart.
In Christ,
Scott+
Anglican Relief and Development Fund is partnering with CMJ-USA to bring aid and support to survivors of the conflict. CMJ-Israel is providing relief, spiritual care, trauma counseling, and coordinating housing for displaced families. Donate to support much-needed relief efforts, and please keep them and all who are suffering from this violence in your prayers. You can support their work with a donation to ARDF here.
Last chance to bring in cookies for Kairos! Kairos Weekend starts October 19th. Thank you to all the cookie bakers! Please bring your cookies to church by October 17th. You can also leave them in the atrium this Sunday.
Suzy Speare and Carol Updike are team members of Kairos #44 scheduled for October 19 - 22 at the Central Virginia Correctional Unit for Women outside of Richmond.
Kairos is similar to Cursillo or Walk to Emmaus. It includes a three-and-a-half-day weekend program where a trained team of Christians go into the prison to carry God’s message of love and forgiveness to those incarcerated. Would you pray about partnering with us? You can participate in three different ways.
Prayer – Our goal is to have our weekend covered 24/7 in prayer. You can use this link to sign up for a 30-minute prayer slot.
Cookies – Each team member is responsible for 30 dozen homemade cookies. Would you bake cookies for us? There are very specific instructions that can be found here. Cookies can be brought to the church to the Kairos table in the atrium beginning October 1, October 8, and October 15. You can also leave cookies in the Admin Office on weekdays during normal business hours. Final day for delivering cookies is October 17.
Financial Support – help offset the cost of supplies needed for the weekend. It costs about $100 per prisoner to attend such a weekend. Checks must be made payable to “Kairos of Va” with “CVCU” on the memo line.
Questions? Would you like to learn how you can be a team member for a future Kairos team?
Contact Suzy Speare at suzyspeare@aol.com or Carol Updike at updikecfs@gmail.com.
The Living Nativity is a church-wide annual event that shares the message of a newborn Savior in the season of shopping and holiday flurry. This year, signups will be in the atrium at the Nativity Kiosk on October 22 & 29, after Sunday services. All ages are needed to fill five scenes from the Christmas gospels, ending in the quiet stillness of a holy nativity. Each scene has a splash of lights, live animals, and friends of All Saints'!
Sign ups include non-speaking costumed roles, traffic crew, canned food drive collection, parking lot greeters, Christmas light setup, angels/shepherds Leaders, and more! Costumed roles are asked to attend one mini-rehearsal (after Thanksgiving) and the final Dress/Scene Rehearsal (the week before the event) for one hour or less each. The Living Nativity date this year is Friday, December 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m.! Contact Tara at tpedersen@allsaintswoodbridge.org with any questions.
When Desiree Barker retired in August of this year, she left two roles at All Saints’ Church. One of those roles was Adult Discipleship Director, and Jim Morrison and Josh Moore have stepped in to serve as co-leaders. Along with a faithful committee of leaders, Jim Morrison and Josh Moore plan and teach Adult Sunday School and other opportunities for adults to grow in their walk with Christ. This week we asked Jim Morrison a few questions to get to know him and his new position co-leading Adult Discipleship. Stay tuned for next week when we feature Josh Moore!
What brought you to ASC and what drew you to serve?
Our next-door neighbors invited us to attend their church back in 1988. With three young children ages 9, 7, and 4, my wife Debbie and I were asked to serve in children’s ministry initially. As I grew in faith, other opportunities to serve became available, especially with Youth Ministry for many years.
What is your role as an Adult Discipleship Leader?
“Go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I [Jesus] have commanded you.” Jesus Great Commission applies to me personally and corporately. I love studying the Bible with the Holy Spirit leading the way. Sharing this love with others, encouraging all to grow in the love and knowledge of Christ, and seeking to apply God’s Word in everything we do inspires me daily. And the icing on the cake? Working with dedicated and learned members of our Adult Discipleship Committee and other teachers in our congregation as we plan and conduct learning opportunities throughout the year.
Why Anglicanism?
I did not grow up Anglican. Baptist and other Protestant denominations were my beginnings. As Debbie and I continued with All Saints’, I learned to enjoy the liturgy, the adherence to the truth of God’s Holy Word, and the dependence on the Holy Spirit present here.
What is the process for deciding what to study for Adult Education offerings?
Prayer (discerning God’s guidance) and partnership with our Rector and other ministries. Together we seek to meet the needs of everyone attending All Saints’.
What are you currently reading?
“The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread” by Richard Booker. To see how many of the Old Testament objects, events, and practices lead us to the shed blood of Jesus Christ is humbling yet affirming.
What book or author has had the biggest impact on your walk with Christ?
Other than the Bible, “Victory Over The Darkness” by Neil T Anderson. Someone once said we live in a world with a praise deficit. When I am feeling down and discouraged, flipping to a page citing multiple verses in the Bible highlighting who I am in Christ picks me up every time. They remind me of the power of Christ and God’s Holy Spirit to transform me to be more like Him.
What is your favorite part of the Bible to study/read?
I am enjoying The Book of the Acts of the Apostles in our Adult Sunday School each Sunday. Acts provides so many examples of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the early church. I have seen some of these works (e.g. healing, deliverance, conversion) occur again in my lifetime. Acts also reminds me of what living as a Christian community can be and challenge me to live that way.
How can we pray for you?
To paraphrase Moses in Numbers 11, “would that all God’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit on them”. We have God’s Spirit, may I and those who are Christ’s disciples grow in our love, knowledge, and application of God, God’s Word, and all His people. May all who attend All Saints’ attend our education offerings and provide input for what offerings would benefit them at this time in their life.
Fun facts?
Stand anywhere in my vicinity, call my name, and watch me try to locate you. I’m deaf in my left ear and hard of hearing in the right ear so I have no sense of where sound comes from. But that’s ok, God has blessed me with a sense of humor, to include offering some really bad puns at times (like I have to ask, “Still friends?”, after some of them).
You are invited to the 6th Annual Bill Mehr Banquet hosted by The Cooperative Council of Ministries on Saturday, October 21 at St Matthew's Lutheran Church 12351 All Saints Pl, Woodbridge, VA 22192.
The banquet starts at 6:00 p.m. with a silent auction, a full-course gourmet meal, and remarks from our keynote speakers La Tonya Thomas, Coordinator of CCoM, and Minister Cliff Colley.
All proceeds from the banquet will benefit the Bill Mehr Drop-in Center for the Homeless. The Center provides essential services to the homeless population in Prince William County, including nutrition and wellness programs, social skills and job readiness programs, and medical services. If you would like to attend the banquet you can buy your tickets at BillMehrbanquet.eventbrite.com
For additional information on the banquet, Contact Mrs. Terry O’Connor at 571-723-7065 or Bruce DeSoto at 703-501-1255.
