My dear family in Christ,

Alleluia! He is risen!

The Lord is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Now we live in the time of Resurrection. Alleluia! But what does that mean? What do we do with this incredible, life-changing, world-shattering Truth that we have all just witnessed a week and a half ago? 

It means that we are now called and appointed to go out and tell the whole world the Good News!  And yet … that’s not the first thing that Jesus’s disciples went out and did, is it? No, before they would be ready to take up their calling as apostles ~ as ones who have been sent out ~ they first needed to process the incredible, unfathomable things they had been through. And, let’s be honest, they needed some healing. The road to Calvary, to the Cross and the Tomb, had taken a toll. Even the risen Jesus still bore the wounds of that journey, after all.

Last Sunday, we heard how Jesus appeared to the disciples in a locked room where they were hiding, in fear for their lives, in the aftermath of their leader’s brutal execution. We heard how Jesus showed them his still-wounded body, because they needed to see, to know, that he really had died, and that he really had been raised. Jesus even made a second visit to the same locked room a week later because one of them, Thomas, had not been present to receive that healing, to experience that transforming encounter with the risen Lord.

Jesus knew that his disciples were not yet ready to be sent out as apostles. He would therefore appear numerous times to various groups of people before finally ascending to the Father some forty days after his Resurrection. Even then, it would still be another ten days before the gift of the Holy Spirit would descend upon them on the Day of Pentecost, transforming them from a band of survivors into the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church whose ministry we share today.

Clearly, a lot can happen in forty or fifty days. And, in that light, I have been reflecting on the process of healing and just how transformative the experience of receiving healing is for us.  Two stories of healing have been on my mind and heart lately, passages that we have not heard recently in our Lectionary. I’ll share one of them with you now, and the other in my next column.



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As you may recall, our friends from Lawrence University are working with our friends from the Trout Museum of Art to build a new building on the southwest corner of College and Drew. Our belltower has a great view of that location and folks from Lawrence thought they’d like to make that view accessible to others. So – they came to us to ask if they could install a time-lapse “construction cam” on top of our belltower for the duration of the construction project (12-24 months). The vestry (good neighbors that we are) agreed enthusiastically.

So – the pole for the camera and the supporting infrastructure was installed this morning and the camera will be installed on the pole sometime this week. Just so you know…

The altar flower schedule has an opening next Sunday, April 21. If you'd like to sponsor flowers in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving, please sign up on the bulletin board or contact the office.

This coming Sunday, April 14, the afternoon session of Sunday School will not be held due to a schedule conflict. Students aged 11-17 are welcome to join in the earlier session of Sunday School from 9:45-10:22 am. Circle Songs will also be canceled this Sunday.

We have had some requests for a spring order from Equal Exchange. Send Sarah Gilbert your lists of fair trade, small farmer-owned coffee, tea, chocolate, olive oil, and dried fruit and I will place our group order when they have their next sale. We who order will pay the full listed price for our items, and All Saints will receive the 10 or 15% we save with the sale. Shipping will be free. 

https://shop.equalexchange.coop/

Please have orders in by Wednesday, April 10th. You will be notified when the order goes in and when the shipment is ready for pickup.

Dean and Janet Kaul will host a movie night at their home (4018 E Benvalley Dr, Appleton, Wisconsin 54913) on Friday, April 12. Arrival time is between 6 and 6:15 pm, and the movie begins at 6:30 pm. Snacks and seltzer/water will be provided.

The movie is Chocolat. Set in a rural French town, it includes fascinating characters and deals with issues of faith and society that we encounter today. There will be a short discussion period after the movie. The event will end at 9, depending on how many snacks are left.

RSVP to Dean Kaul at 858-442-2131 (text accepted) or dkaul1088@aol.com, or to the church office.

Do you help All Saints? You’re invited to a year-planning activity! 

Please mark your calendar for this April 16th, 6:30 p.m. planning session!

This is an invitation to all who serve in any ministry team (formerly “committee” or “task group”) at or on behalf of All Saints to join the Vestry in a calendar and budget planning activity - it’s a kind of ministry fair to gather as many people as possible together to build out our 2024 calendar and assist the Vestry and the Finance team as they plan for resource allocations, even into 2025. The evening will start with a short presentation by Senior Warden Stephanie Gadzik to explain how the evening’s work will go, and then Kemper Hall will be buzzing with small group discussion as ministry team members discuss their plans and goals for the coming year and complete the handout with date and budget questions that clarify the talent, time, and treasure for your ministry activity. Many people are on more than one ministry team, so there will be movement around the room to check-in and provide input on the handouts. By the end of the evening, the posted calendar year plan will have added some pencilled in dates, activities, and volunteer coordinator names. Bring a treat to share, if you are willing. Punch and water will be provided. 

This is the regularly scheduled April vestry meeting - given over to a planning session that draws in all ministry teams. (If you are not a part of a working ministry team, you are still welcome to come and listen to small group conversations, ask questions, and learn more about the area you’d like to help or join.) Meet the vestry member who will be the point person to each ministry cluster in our parish, helping to facilitate future communication on scheduling and budgets. The goals for this group exercise are to collectively understand and confirm who does what, and collaborate on our church calendar, adding things like building care/maintenance, social events like potlucks and dinner groups, service opportunities, Christian formation opportunities, and worship opportunities.

A few All Saints folk have been learning and brushing off their mahjong skills. What is mahjong?  Mahjong (or mah-jongg) is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century.  Similar to the Western card game rummy, mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and luck.

Join us on Tuesday, April 23rd @ 6:30 pm in the Palmer Room for mahjong night! We’ll play and teach the game, so whether you're a curious beginner, or an experienced player, there will be opportunity for all. Other board games can be an option too – we’ll have other board games available and play will depend on how many people attend, interest etc. 

We hope to make this a monthly, regular activity at All Saints, providing an opportunity for fellowship, fun and maybe even some friendly competition. For questions or more info, please contact Catherine Neiswender, Stephanie Gadzik, or Pamela Padley.

Our second Fiber Night gathering will be held on Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 pm. Join us in the Palmer Room for an evening of crafting and fellowship! Bring along any portable handcraft you'd like to work on (or want to get help with). Tea and refreshments will be provided. Contact Sarah Gilbert for more info.

REMINDER: If you'd like to have your birthday or anniversary recognized, please contact the office.

April Birthdays

4/2 - Patrick Bates

4/3 - Steve Gilling

4/11 - Dennis Fischer

4/21 - Ginny Stephany-Lonzo

4/25 - Susannah Gilbert

4/25 - Ken Schoenike

4/26 - Pat Tilman

Reminder: the Trialogue Steering Committee is holding a second series of Zoom Town Hall meetings in April to discuss these documents and any other questions you might have. Register to attend one of the meetings here!

As our dioceses discern reunion, Episcopalians across Wisconsin are invited to celebrate our shared commitment to outreach by creating handknitted or crocheted scarves for the Seaman’s Church Institute “Christmas at Sea” program. Our May 4 convention will include an ingathering and blessing of scarves, which will be sent to the Seaman’s Institute. The project is sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Milwaukee in conjunction with the Trialogue Steering Committee.

You do not need to be a needlework expert to take part. The Institute’s favorite scarf only requires one skein [300 yards, 4 ply] of worsted yarn, and uses a simple pattern available on the Trialogue website. Other patterns, for both crochet and knitting, are on the Seamen’s Church Institute website.

Please drop off your completed scarves at the church office by Friday, May 3 to be delivered to the convention!

The Stephen Ministry column will return in a future newsletter.