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Gearing Up for Fall
I grilled some chicken for dinner the other night and noticed that fall is in the air. Even though I still had my khaki pants and clergy shirt (and boots!) on, it was almost pleasant outside. For the first time in months, I didn’t feel like I was being cooked while cooking dinner.
We’re keenly aware of the fact that fall is almost here at All Saints’, and the staff and leadership of the parish has been hard at work gearing up for the 24-25 program year. We’re going to implement a few changes, some of which are already in progress, so here’s a quick update on what you can expect:
¨ Thanks to Jay and Lori Brooks, the narthex has been gently refreshed to be a cleaner and more inviting space. The Welcome Center is now a central fixture, and information about the church—along with the welcome cards and Forward Day by Day readings—has been removed from the old plastic racks and placed on baskets in the updated Welcome Center.
¨ Starting this Sunday, September 1, the 9am adult education hour will also get an update. The 9am adult class will now be called The Learning Lab and will feature brief presentations focused on sharing information about ministries or programs. The first Learning Lab this Sunday will highlight Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. We will still have Sunday School for children and youth in the Urbano Library and the fully redecorated Youth Haven (respectively) starting NEXT Sunday, September 8, at 9am. Since there is no Sunday School this week, folks of all ages are welcome to join us to learn about Children, Youth, and Family Ministries in the Barbara Rooms. Even if you don’t have kids in Sunday School, I encourage you to come and learn how you can support these important ministries. The full schedule of Learning Labs is printed in the bulletin this week.
¨ Starting next Sunday, Adult Education will be moved to 11:30am. We’re going to offer different series at 11:30am, and it is our hope that you will try to make it to as many of the classes in the series as possible. Classes will still be under and hour and childcare for kids 5 and under will be available until 12:30pm. The full schedule of classes is printed in the bulletin this week.
¨ Some of the signage around the church is also going to reflect our updated branding. You might have already seen the All Saints’ shield with a red-tiled background that looks like the stained glass window behind the altar. We have heard from so many people who come back to visit our beautiful church that the stained glass window is the thing that makes All Saints’ stand out. Students who grew up at the Day School and come back here for a wedding or a baptism want that stained glass in their photos. So, we are going to feature this beautiful work of art in our branding a little more prominently. Stay tuned for the full roll-out of this refreshed look over the next several months.
¨ Based on the feedback we received, we will also be going back to using the Book of Common Prayer as our main reference during services this fall. But we’ll still be trying new things to help newcomers navigate the liturgy. One is that we will be adding beautiful bookmarks to the prayer books in the pews with a condensed order of service with corresponding page numbers in the BCP. The other thing we will be doing is adding book flags to mark the first page of the two services we use most often at All Saints’: Holy Eucharist Rite II (p. 355) and Holy Baptism (p. 299).
All Saints’ is a special place and has been for generations because of caring and welcoming people who are excited to make this place their spiritual home. If you’re one of those people, here’s how you can get involved. If you’re interested in volunteering to staff the Welcome Center on a Sunday morning, let me know. We are looking for outgoing people who will help make newcomers feel comfortable and welcome here at All Saints’. The second thing is this: During service, look up and down your pews, especially if you notice someone you don’t recognize. If you can tell that they’re having a hard time with the prayer book and the hymnal, gently offer to help them. I can’t tell you what a huge difference this makes, and it’s the kind of simple act that will help All Saints’ be a vibrant and welcoming church for another 75 years.
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