Caring for Our Selves, Our Souls and Bodies

Rector’s Message March 2014 Caring for Our Selves, Our Souls and Bodies and for Sabbath, for play and for joy? It is about how we care for our community—are we kind, and supportive, and do we look out for one By Kit Carlson, All Saints Rector another? It is about how we care for the earth, the air, the lakes and creatures great and small. It is “There is more beauty than our eyes can bear, about how we tend our family relationships. It is precious things have been put into our hands and about how we use our money. It is about how we to do nothing to honor them is to do great use our time. harm.” ― Marilynne Robinson, Gilead In this Lenten season, our focus at All Saints will be on stewardship... of EVERYTHING. In In the world of the church it is easy to think of the Wednesday evening activities for adults and "stewardship" as the annual church fundraising children, in the Sunday adult forums, in the small campaign. But sacred stewardship is much larger groups that meet to study and share. We will be than simply giving money to the church. examining how we care for our lives, our church, Stewardship means caring for something that is our bodies and our spirits. not our own. What do we do with the world God has given us, with the lives God has given us, As you begin your Lenten devotions this year, I with the talents God has given us, with the riches encourage you to take an honest look at how you God has given us? care for the things God has put into your care. Beginning with your own life and health. Then During the season of Lent, which begins on how you care for your family. How you care for Ash Wednesday, March 5, you will be hearing a your friendships. How you care for the planet. lot about Firmer Foundation. This important Are you tending the gifts God has given you in a campaign is stewardship—our opportunity to way that honors God and brings you joy? preserve our building and make it ready to last through the next decade. To care for our physical As we care for this parish, as we strive to honor plant is to honor what God is calling us to do, and and preserve the building that previous to preserve what previous generations have given generations have given us, I hope each of us will us. It is good stewardship. look at our whole lives—how do our lives reflect our faith and hope in God? How do our lives But stewardship is about more than that. It is reflect our thankfulness to be alive? How do our about how we live our lives—is there time for lives say "God comes first?” How do our lives rest and relaxation, for prayer and study, for work say, "I want the world to be better because I have lived?” This is what relationships do; it helps us unfold the mystery about yourself through discovering Food for thought in this season of reflection ... that of others around you. In the process of unfolding the mystery that we go through were In Christ's boundless love, tears, joy, grief, laughter, remorse, gratitude, frustration and happiness—all the mixtures of our Kit feeling. In spite of all of it, what we build together by loving one another is so-called “community.” All of us take different parts as we Where did you come from and come together for common mission. where you are going? Speaking of community building, I am leading a By Andrew Shirota Lenten series called Let's Build Relationships That Go Beyond: St. Paul Shows Us How to Forty-eight freshman MSU students from two Create Community. Starting March 12th, we writing classes in the Residential College of Arts meet every Wednesday night for six weeks after and Humanities are answering these questions soup supper to talk about seven letters of Paul about their lives through their involvement with that reveal many relationships shown in early our Teen After School Center. They were divided church, which is not far from ours. Please join into eight teams of six to interview eight of our me! volunteers to ask the same questions. When I gave this assignment to them, they were really +Andrew surprised because they assumed different ideas about helping out our program. They realized that help comes in many different ways. What we Sheila’s Corner asked the students was to listen to us, and write stories about each volunteer. By Sheila Wittala

It's a form of listening campaign, except that this Lent is fast approaching. Lent is a season of the one lets non-TASC volunteers listen to us instead church year that is a time of preparation, of us doing the interview; students are now reflection, growth, and change. We take the time writing stories about our faithfully committed to learn more about God and our relationship to volunteers. God and others. It is a time of growth in faith and a time to nurture the faith that is already ours. For whatever reasons, these classes have heard This year families will be able to choose an about our great program, and now discover more activity book, calendar or a packet of activities to about TASC through interviewing our volunteers. do at home. Some of the things take 10 minutes Our TASC now has grown to have teams of and others longer. Try this season of Lent to set volunteers from seven different faith-based aside at least 10 minutes each day to focus on organizations. These volunteers heard about us God and your relationship with him. Your whole from word of mouth, came, and now work with family will grow in faith together this Lenten us having one common mission, which is to season. Also, on Wednesday evenings we will be provide a safe, hate-free, and youth-driven zone looking at being stewards of the earth, the church, in the heart of East Lansing. As we come together money, of people and animals. Each week we with common mission, we have this safe space will be talking about how we can be better not only for the youth but also for the adults to stewards of what God has given us and doing a interact and discover inner self through social service project to go along with each one. space—where did you come from, where you are now, and where you are going? We need your help in collecting for the following: We will be collecting dog food, cat ranks, or if you’d just like to check out the closet, food, animal toys, collars, towels, hand sanitizer, you’re always welcome! and Kleenex to donate to the Humane Society. We also will be making good night snack bags for Discerning the mission of Outreach homeless children, and will need individually On February 10th Pastor Kit led the discernment wrapped snacks and drinks, an activity and meeting for those interested in Outreach and possibly books. If you can help out by donating Welcoming. It was a great opportunity to meet items for either of these please drop them off in and talk with others in our parish. If you are the lent boxes beside the donation barrels. interested in participating in the decision making about the work of Outreach at All Saints, please Your help is needed! Parents, last month you come to our monthly meetings to share your were emailed a short survey. Please respond to expertise and passion. They are held at 6:00 p.m. the questions. Your input is greatly appreciated. on the second Thursday of the month in the We are looking into what you would like to see in church library. All are welcome. the future. Resisting Gun Violence Finally, I have found a great resource for faith On March 16th ASEC will observe the Resisting formation at home: VibrantFaithathome.org has Gun Violence Sabbath. Do you have ideas about many activities. They stress using teachable how Outreach and the wider All Saints moments to help children grow in faith. It is laid community can resist gun violence? Wherever out for you on different topics. They even talk you stand on the second amendment, gun control about things to do or say to help them understand. or any political perspective, your input is needed! We are all God’s people and we must work together to discern any solutions to the problem of gun accidents and gun violence in our society.

Outreach at All Saints If you’d like to know more about Outreach or By Melissa DeRosia would like to volunteer for one of our many ministries, please contact Melissa DeRosia at Come into the PNB Closet [email protected]. Have you ever wondered what was up with the closet across from the Undercroft? Or maybe you never even noticed that it was there! In any case, ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ if you didn’t take advantage of the Personal Needs Bank closet “Open House” on Feb 23rd, Lent Begins March 5 you’ll have another chance in March. Since the fall of 2011, volunteers from both People’s Enter into the penitential and reflective season of Church and All Saints have been serving families Lent with the imposition of ashes on in the greater Lansing area who have been Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the first day referred to us by Christian Services of Lansing. of Lent. The imposition of ashes is derived from Dozens of faithful women and men shop for or the Hebrew Scriptures and the use of sackcloth distribute items such as toothpaste, laundry soap, and ashes to repent. We mark ourselves with diapers and toilet paper to families in need. ashes to remind ourselves of our mortality, our Recently another area needs bank closed and need for repentance, and our ultimate need for Christian Services asked whether or not we’d be God. willing and able to increase the number of families they served. When I put that question to Worship will be offered at 7:30 a.m., noon and 7 our dedicated volunteers, they unanimously voted p.m. on Ash Wednesday, March 5. “YES!” If you are interested in joining these The noon service is a joint service with University Lutheran Church to be held here at All Saints. The choir will sing and child care will be provided at the evening service. Adult Formation Sunday Morning Adult Formation

Stewardship is Everything: Lenten March 9: Stewardship of Story Barbara Powers Educational Offerings —artist, educator, All Saints neighbor and newest choir member—has created a series of portraits of As we celebrate and support the Firmer children who died in the Nazi Holocaust of World Foundation campaign during Lent, it is easy to War II. After coauthoring The Promise with Eva begin to think of the word "stewardship" as Schloss, stepsister of Anne Frank, Barbara began applying only to church fundraising. But rendering the faces of children in the Holocaust. stewardship is a profoundly spiritual concept, one Millions disappeared from the face of the Earth, that extends to every aspect of life. It proclaims including Eva's only brother, Heinz, and her that everything is a gift from God, and that God's friends, Anne and Margot Frank. These faces of gifts call forth from us a responsibility to care for innocence honor the existence of all oppressed those gifts, and to give generously in return. children, pay tribute to loving parents, proclaim In short, stewardship is about everything. And the the truth, and plead for peace and hope—so adult formation offerings in Lent will explore and desperately needed for a new tomorrow. Barbara's demonstrate this "macro" approach to portraits were entered in last year's ArtPrize stewardship. From stewardship of time to competition. In this adult forum, she tells her stewardship of the earth to stewardship of our story of how she came to tend these children's very souls, how we care for what God has given stories. us is the deepest responsibility any of us has. March 16: Stewardship of Soul How do we Sunday Morning Bible Study will be reading protect and preserve that sacred space inside each Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in of us, that place where we and God meet and our Busy Lives by Wayne Mueller. This group encounter one another? In this busy, revved-up meets at 9 a.m. in the library every Sunday. world, caring for our spiritual self, our very soul, often comes last of all on the "to-do" list. We are Rector's Bible Study will look at how to live our physical beings, intellectual beings, emotional lives in a way that is faithful to Jesus' teachings in beings—but we are also spiritual beings. How the Gospel of Matthew. Join us Tuesday, March can we care for this too-often-neglected part of 18 at 7 p.m. in the Library. ourselves, in the same way we care for our bodies, our relationships, and our minds? Pastor Monday Pray and Study: In Falling Upward, Kit leads a conversation on making space for soul Fr. Richard Rohr seeks to help readers understand in our daily lives. the tasks of the two halves of life and to show them that those who have fallen, failed, or "gone March 23: Stewardship of Family down" are the only ones who understand "up." Relationships If stewardship is caring for, taking Most of us tend to think of the second half of life responsibility for, giving thanks for, taking as largely about getting old, dealing with health thoughtful part in, and sharing in, then each of issues, and letting go of life, but the whole thesis those phrases could be finished with family. On of this book is exactly the opposite. What looks this Sunday, The Rev. Jannel Glennie will look at like falling down can largely be experienced as the dynamics of family from a systems "falling upward." perspective to discover how we may be more conscious and conscientious about our family. Tuesday Bible Study Group is planning to She will also illustrate how attentiveness to follow the Bible readings during Lent and tie family, past and present, can affect relationships each reading to some aspect of stewardship. outside the family of origin and even have an strapped? Does life seem full of demands while impact on future generations. lacking in space and freedom and joy? This Lent, Pastor Kit leads a practical examination of how to March 30: Sacred economics How might we live a life where you can focus on the things that transition away from the current money system, matter. Using the book Free: Spending Your which is destructive to community, fosters Time and Money on What Matters Most by Mark competition and scarcity and necessitates endless Scandrette, we'll develop the practical skills growth, into a more sustainable way of life? needed to align our time and money with our Come explore gift economies, local currencies deeper longings and live the "abundant life" and other methods of New Economics which are promised by Jesus. emerging. We will consider the collective as well as personal dimensions of living in ways that Let's Build Relationships That Go Beyond: St. more deeply reflect our sense of the sacredness of Paul Shows Us How to Create Community common life together. Come join Martha Lynch Stewardship of our relationships, especially in a for this discussion. faith community, is one of the most important aspects of being a Christian. How could we learn WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS RETURN more about relationships from St. Paul in 1st MARCH 12 FOR LENT! century Christianity? Christian communities in his time were so different from how we do church It's an all-parish Lenten opportunity on today. Yet Christian relationships were just as Wednesdays, with something for everyone. We messy as they are today. How did Paul help his want everyone to participate in Wednesday Christian communities to build stronger evening activities in 2014! Whether it's sharing relationships? Father Andrew's course will the soup supper, participating in a class, or explore human relationships by digging into enjoying activities with Sheila, we hope all our Paul's seven letters to see what he has to say parishioners of every age will try something. about loving each other and getting along.

We will have two separate education offerings for teens and adults to select. The children will be +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ doing activities around being good stewards of the earth, people, money, the church, and Start your Lent off with a free animals. Each week will include a service project. There will also be a study room for older youth to online course starting March 5 study and do homework. Childcare will be provided for our youngest saints. A Consideration of the Cross: The Big Class (Online!) Featuring David Lose Schedule Whatever we say about the cross, we are also 5:30 Children's choir practice—loft saying about God. So what does the cross mean? 6:15 Soup Supper—Undercroft** What can it tell us about God? How can it help us 7:00 Adult and teen offerings approach, understand, and know God better? In Child care—nursery Part One of this three-part series, David Lose invites us to think about how we understand God **Be sure to sign up for bringing SOUP, or and the cross; he helps us explore what each of helping to set up or clean up! If you are not the four gospels can teach us. This course is free bringing soup, please bring bread, cheese, veggies during the first week of Lent, from March 5-12, or fruit to share. through ChurchNext, an online school founded by Chris Yaw, rector of St. David's-Southfield. Free: Spending Your Time and Money on What Matters Most Are you feeling physically Register online and learn more at exhausted, emotionally drained and financially https://www.churchnext.tv/school/catalog/course/ the-big-class-making-sense-of-the-cross-with- who is interested should contact Ellen DeRosia at david-lose-free/ 351-9908 or [email protected].

Pledging for a Firmer Foundation By Carol Swinehart

Four years ago, Jo Hartwell and Senia Taipale found their way to All Saints. Jo was Anglican by birth in her native England; Senia is an ordained Lutheran pastor serving as Sparrow Hospital’s Director of Pastoral Care for many years. Jo’s MSU co-worker Janet Chegwidden had encouraged her to give All Saints a try. Senia’s retired pastor Al Kamens and his wife Sue were already active members.

Jo and Senia have become really involved in this parish family, finding it a place to explore their Remarks on a Firmer Foundation faith and learn more, a place to sing and ring, a By Bishop Wendell Gibbs place to enjoy fellowship and fun, a place to contribute their gifts of welcome and leadership. I’m very glad that the people of All Saints are They’ve also contributed to All Saints’ financial making this effort to be good stewards of your well-being, becoming charter members of the physical property and facilities. They are home to Legacy of Faith Society and, most recently, so many worthwhile ministries—the Personal making one of the first pledges to the Firmer Needs Bank, the Teen After School Center, 12 Foundation campaign. step programs, parish youth programs, community crisis conversations, worship, and “We think it’s really important to give, especially many others. This no frills campaign will at the beginning of something like Firmer definitely provide a firmer physical and financial Foundation. We feel strongly about the future of foundation for your work in East Lansing for All Saints; we want to help provide a firmer many years to come. God bless you as you pledge foundation for the ministries here, and we pray yourself to this most worthwhile campaign. that others will, too,” says Jo, a member of All Saints Vestry and the Executive Committee of the +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ campaign. Her partner Senia heartily agrees. Sunday Evening Service to +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Continue The All Saints Community Service garden lies dormant under a thick blanket of snow. But Been out of town and just returned on sooner or later all that snow will melt and it will a Sunday afternoon? Busy with activities on be time to turn the soil and plant for the new a Sunday morning? Or do you just crave a season. At the end of last season, Haven House quieter, more intimate worship experience? suggested some crops that would be appreciated The Sunday afternoon service will continue by residents and useful for distributing to others through Memorial Day at 5 p.m. in the chapel. through the Food Bank. Those who helped last With a capella singing, homilies by congregants year and others interested in joining the team will and prayers created by the worshippers, this soon be invited to a planning meeting. There is service is ideal for all ages. End your long week always room for more helping hands! Anyone with this service of Light, Word and Table in the chapel on a Sunday afternoon.

~ March 2014 ~ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 10a AA Saturday 10a Advent House 10a Organist Practice 2 Last Epiphany 3 4 5 Ash Wednesday 6 7 8 8a HE, Rite 1 11a InterRacial Women's 10a Play Group 1p Parkinson's Group 7:30a Morning HE with 4p String Group 9:30a PNB 9a Family Service Fellowship 12:30p Bible Study 5:30p Children's Choir I Breakfast 10a AA Saturday 9a Bible Study 1p Staff Mtg 3p TASC 6p Children's Choir II 7p 6p Tai Chi Classes 10a Organist Practice 10a HE, Rite 2 3p TASC 5p Organist Practice Organist Practice 6:30p Bell Choir 10a Sunday School 5:30p Adult Ed Mtg 6p Shrove Tuesday - 7:30p Debtors 7:30p ACOA 11a Adult Forum 6p Moms' Group Pancakes for Habitat 7:30p Adult Choir 5p Afternoon Worship 6:30p Steiner Chorale 7p Meditation Group 6p EYC 7p Prayer & Study 7:30p AA Tuesday 7:30p AA Monday 9 Lent 1 10 11 12 13 14 15 Birthday Blessings 1p Staff Mtg 10a Play Group 9a Tree of Life 7:30a Morning Prayer w/ 4p String Group 9:30a Needlers 8a HE, Rite 1 3p TASC 12:30p Bible Study 5:30p Child Choir Breakfast 6:30p Prayer Circle 10a AA Saturday 8:45a Breakfast 6:30p Steiner Chorale 1:30p TASC Volunteer 6:15p Soup Supper 4p CSA Winter Site 10a Organist Practice 9a Bible Study 7p Prayer & Study 5p Organist Practice 6:45p Child Time 6p Outreach Mtg 10a HE, Rite 2 7:30p AA Monday 7p Cancer 7p Adult Ed 6p Tai Chi Classes 10a Sunday School 7p Meditation Group 7p Lent Adult Ed 6:30p Bell Choir 11a Adult Forum 7:30p AA Tuesday 7p Organist Practice 7:30p ACOA 5p Afternoon Worship 7:30p Debtors 7:30p Adult Choir 6p EYC

16 Lent 2 17 St. Patrick's Day 18 19 20 21 22 8a HE, Rite 1 1p Staff Mtg 8a Breakfast 5:30p Child Choir 7:30a Morning Prayer w/ 4p String Group 7:30p 9:30a PNB 9a Bible Study 3p TASC 10a Play Group 6:15p Soup Supper Breakfast Coffee House 10a AA Saturday 10a HE, Rite 2 6p Moms' Group 12:30p Bible Study 6:45p Child Time 9a Art & Spirit 10a Organist Practice 10a Sunday School 6:30p Steiner Chorale 3p TASC 7p Adult Ed 5p CHEA 11a Adult Forum 7p Prayer & Study 5p Organist Practice 7p Lent Adult Ed 6p Tai Chi Classes 11:30a Parent Group 7:30p AA Monday 5:30p Finance Mtg 7p Organist Practice 6:30p Bell Choir 5p Afternoon Worship 7p Meditation Group 7:30p Debtors 7:30p ACOA 6p EYC 7p Bible Study 7:30p Adult Choir 7:30p AA Tuesday 23 Lent 3 24 25 26 27 28 29 8a HE, Rite 1 1p Staff Mtg 10a Play Group 5:30p Child Choir 7:30a Morning Prayer w/ 4p String Group 10a AA Saturday 9a Sunday Morning Bible 1:30p Woman's Club 12:30p Bible Study 6:15p Soup Supper Breakfast 5:30p Lazy Saints 10a Organist Practice Study 3p TASC 3p TASC 6:45p Child Time 4p CSA Winter Site 10a HE, Rite 2 6:30p Steiner Chorale 5p Organist Practice 7p Adult Ed 6p Tai Chi Classes 10a Sunday School 7p Prayer & Study 6:30p Holistic Health 7p Lent Adult Ed 6:30p Bell Choir 11a Adult Forum 7:30p AA Monday 6:30p Quilters Guild 7p Organist Practice 7:30p ACOA 5p Afternoon Worship 7p Meditation Group 7:30p Debtors 7:30p Adult Choir 6p EYC 7p Vestry 7:30p AA Tuesday ~ March 2014 ~ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 30 Lent 4 31 8a HE, Rite 1 1p Staff Mtg 9a Bible Study 3p TASC 10a HE, Rite 2 6:30p Steiner Chorale This is the last mailed Messenger. 10a Sunday School 7p Prayer & Study The Messenger is available online at www.allsaints-el.org 11a Adult Forum 7:30p AA Monday 5p 20s & 30 Somethings 5p Afternoon Worship 6p EYC

All Saints Episcopal Church 800 Abbot Road East Lansing, Michigan 48823 Return Service Requested

All Saints Episcopal Church Phone: 517-351-7160 / Fax: 517-351-7113 [email protected] / www.allsaints-el.org

All Saints Rector: The Rev. Katherine “Kit” Carlson, Home phone: 517-337-8338, Email: [email protected] Assistant Rector The Rev. Andrew Shirota Email: [email protected] Minister of Music-Choir Director: Michael Crouch, [email protected] Coordinator Children and Youth: Sheila Wiitala, [email protected] Office Manager: Susie Pearson, [email protected] Building Manager: Scott Hoffman, [email protected] Senior Warden: Steve Findley, [email protected] Messenger Editor: Joan Bolander, [email protected]

One Community: Lutheran/Episcopal Campus Ministry at Michigan State University

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Pastor Sarah Midzalkowski