Dear Friends, 

This Sunday begins a five-week series on the “Bread of Life Discourse” in the Gospel of John. I’ll try not to get too far in the weeds, but let me be clear: the preachers of All Saints did not make this up! 

We follow the three-year Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), along with many other denominations. Each year focuses on one of the Synoptic (similar) Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This year, known as "Year B," we follow Mark’s Gospel from start to finish. But Mark is the shortest Gospel, so we also hear from the Gospel of John (every year we hear from John in Holy Week and Easter, too), and in late summer we get five Sundays of John 6:1-69 where Jesus feeds people, proclaims he is the bread of life, and encourages folks to, well, eat his flesh.

But here Jesus uses a verb that is more than “eat,” much more graphic than politely chewing our food with our mouths closed at the dinner table. What he says is that we must GNAW on him, a verb used for animals gnawing on a bone. This is a fleshy, visceral, physical verb. 

Often, we can be a little heady in our faith, a bit removed, separating the spirit from the body, but Jesus is a fleshy Messiah, and our faith is a question of our whole selves, our whole lives. 

That’s why we’re inviting folks from All Saints to talk about how their personal faith and their public lives intersect (our first conversation is August 14 with fabulous parishioner Tina Tchen. See below for more info). That’s why churches, including ours, so often focusing on feeding people, whether at the table on Sunday morning, a potluck, or the food pantry on Tuesday nights. That’s why Christians invented hospitals: caring for people’s whole selves, body and soul, matters. 

And we are to depend on God with our whole selves—gnawing on the word of God, gnawing on the communion bread, gnawing on the body of Christ found in the community at All Saints as if we were starving. For aren’t we? Aren’t we all hungry? And when we’re hungry, starving for love and meaning, to know and to be known, well, we gnaw.

So, gnaw on this: we’re starving and our generous, merciful God is the food we need.

See you in church!

Faithfully, Suzanne+ 

Liturgical Minister Training - Summer 2024

Saturday, August 24 | 10:00am - 12:30pm

Training. Prayer. Reflection.

A late Summertime gathering for All Liturgical Ministers and All interested in becoming Liturgical Ministers. Do you assist on Sunday mornings? Reading, praying, acolyting, chalice bearing, ushering, altar guilding? Would you like to assist but want to learn more before committing?

Questions? Please reach out to Suzanne, Colin, or Courtney.

All Saints Book Club

August 8, 7:30 pm (on Zoom)

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe

“[A] powerful novel…. Tragic, hopeful, brimming with love, Wolfe’s debut is a remarkable achievement.” — New York Times Book Review

“I can’t stop thinking of Toya Wolfe’s novel Last Summer on State Street. Filled with both tenderness and tragedy, this moving tale of friendship and family pulls us into a corner of America too long neglected and scorned. Wolfe writes with such grace and such restraint, I felt like I was sitting on the front porch listening to a story told by a friend. What a spectacular debut.” — Alex Kotlowitz, author of An American Summer

The All Saints Book Club meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30pm on Zoom. If you are not a regular attendee, email Mike Burke at mebcat@gmail.com for a meeting invite.

Faith, Life, & Work series

Wednesday, August 14, 7:00pm

at the All Saints Annex (O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: 4557 N Ravenswood Ave)

We Kick off our Faith, Life, and Work series

with an interview with parishioner Tina Tchen.



Tina Tchen is an Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Impact Officer for the Obama Foundation. At the Foundation, she is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the Foundation’s strategy. Tchen also oversees the Girls Opportunity Alliance, the Obama Foundation program that works to empower adolescent girls around the world through completing their education.

Tchen is an attorney, activist, and lifelong advocate for women and girls. She served in the Obama White House through both terms, and was an Assistant to President Barack Obama, Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama, and Executive Director of the White House Council on Women Girls. At the White House, Tchen spearheaded the first-ever White House Summit on Working Families, helped form the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, and led the Administration’s effort to promote education for adolescent girls worldwide, including Mrs. Obama’s Let Girls Learn Initiative. 

Prior to the White House, Tchen practiced law for 23 years at Skadden. At the firm, she was a corporate litigation partner, chaired the pro bono committee, and was a long time leader of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation.

Connect (online) at All Saints this summer!

We invite you to join us on the All Saints Social Distance Collective Facebook page. 

Summer is a great time for All Saints members to find new ways to connect and get to know one another better. If you're planning an event and want to invite All Saints folks, you can post it on the Facebook page and/or send the information to edward@allsaintschicago.org for publication in e-news. 

Recently Posted Invites include:

Lorraine Langer and Gretchen Schlabach invite all to join them for Broadway Rocks with joyful and familiar tunes on Wed, July 31st/ 6:30p at Jay Pritzker Pavilion. https://programs.gpmf.org/broadway-rocks/

Connecting Conversations

Saturday, August 10 from 9am - 11am

Join us for the third community conversation to get to know one another, share our hopes for our lives together at All Saints, and to dream about our future. Daycare provided.



If you missed the first two sessions and would like to participate in a shorter 3rd session, SIGN UP HERE.



THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

From the Executive Director of Ravenswood Community Services (RCS)

It was amazing to have so many of you join the RCS Board for drinks and conversation at O'Shaughnessy's! Whether you were able to join us or not, we hope you know how much we appreciate the energy and dedication you bring to RCS' work!



Farm Bar Supports Ravenswood Community Services!

Ravenswood Community Services (RCS) is honored to be one of Farm Bar's charity partners in their quarterly "Giving Tuesday" program.

Every Tuesday from July to September, when dining at either Farm Bar location, you can let your server or bartender know that you’d like to donate 20% of your bill to one of their featured local charities, like RCS! (Please pick us.)

The food is amazing. And they have a rooftop...just sayin.

All Saints volunteers at the Mobile Pantry

Saturday, August 10, 8:15-11:30am

Join us as we unload pallets of groceries from the Greater Chicago Food Depository, set up the pantry, and distribute groceries. This pantry operates rain or shine, so please come prepared for the weather. 

Volunteers of all ages are welcome (volunteers who are 17 y/o and under must be accompanied by an adult). It’s a terrific way to connect with other All Saints members and to support our neighbors in need. Contact Courtney if you want to know more.

You can sign up here. 

Please note: we can only bring 15 volunteers so please sign up early!



Ravenswood Community Services (RCS)

is looking for Tuesday Afternoon volunteers!

RCS is currently experiencing an historic increase in neighbors seeking assistance. If you've been thinking you might like to give volunteering with RCS a try, now would be a really great time. If you've tried volunteering in the past but were discouraged by full sign ups - please give us another shot! 

TUESDAYS:

Check out the new RCS Volunteer Hub! 

This page will feature all available upcoming Tuesday volunteer opportunities with RCS. Bookmark it for easy access to available spots without searching through your inbox for newsletters!

We're also looking for volunteers who would like to join our Tuesday Delivery Crew. 

Every Tuesday between 12:30-2pm volunteers unload A LOT OF FOOD from pallets on the sidewalk to the Parish Hall for distribution. You should feel comfortable lifting 30-50 lbs and going up and down stairs. Those interested should reach out to Parker at parker@ravenswoodcommunityservices.org.

TONIGHT: Friday, July 26 | 6:00-9:00pm

The Crisis Tapes Opening Reception

Filter Photo: 1821 W Hubbard St, Suite 207

Filter Photo is pleased to present, The Crisis Tapes, a solo exhibition of work by Chicago-based artist Charlie Simokaitis, curated by Allie Haeusslein. 

Learn more about this exhibit featuring parishioner/photographer Charlie Simokaitis.

The next vestry meeting will be on Tuesday, August 20 at 7:00pm in the Reading Room. Vestry meetings are open parishioners. To see the most current Vestry Minutes click here.

Facebook Livestream Team at the 11:00am Service

Audio: Dylan Masterson

Camera: Josephine Koo

www.allsaintschicago.org

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