Dear Friends,

Well, this week has delivered quite the surprising news with the conviction of our former president. At a progressive place like All Saints, I imagine that the general feeling is relief that the justice system has worked carefully and deliberately, proving no one is above the law. That is a good thing of course and, yet, I find myself feeling saddened more than anything else that now we have this milestone in our history: a former president found guilty of 34 felony counts. 

I was too little at the time Nixon resigned from the presidency to remember the details of that event, but I remember the resulting feeling that lingered for years after, a weariness and cynicism born from the betrayal by those we had entrusted with the care of our country and future. I worry now that as a culture we are losing a sense of what integrity, moral seriousness, and being a person of honor look like, or even holding those as values worthy of pursuit.

One of the things I deeply value about Christian community is that those values and others, like compassion, forgiveness, and justice, are at the heart of who we are and how we try to live and model for our children. Many of those values are hard to live by in a world that might think you’re a sucker if you tell the truth even if it costs you or forgive when it is painful. Here, we encourage one another to live as people of integrity, forgive when we fall short, gently call one another back to right ways of being. How old-fashioned is that? And how lovely and necessary when the world around us feels a bit mad . . . 

This Sunday we will gather to hear God’s word, partake in Communion, and deepen our relationship with God and one another so that we might be formed into whom God calls us to be and do the work God calls us to do. And we will celebrate three of our young people who have been shaped and formed at All Saints as they graduate from high school and prepare to fly: Iris Jones, Clara Lumsden, and Maya Thiruvathukal.

See you in church!

Faithfully, Suzanne+

suzanne@allsaintschicago.org



Celebrating Seniors & Church School

THIS Sunday, June 2

This Sunday we will honor parishioners graduating from high school and celebrate another successful year of church school. 

END OF THE CHURCH SCHOOL YEAR ICE CREAM CELEBRATION

 and ATRIUM OPEN HOUSE 

All are invited to celebrate with an ice cream sundae at 10am in the courtyard. AND, after you finish your ice cream, you are invited to tour the atriums (church school classrooms) to see what has been going on all year. Our children will be your guides for tours, just ask anyone wearing a colorful visor for a tour. 

Sunday school is on break until September. The nursery remains open all year and children 3 to 6 years-old will still be welcome to come to atrium during the 9 o’clock service until the end of June.

Help from all ages is welcome on most Sundays in the Children’s Garden from 10am - 11am to water, weed, and sometimes harvest what is growing to give to the Tuesday night food pantry. Listen for announcements at the end of the 9 o’clock service.

June is African American Music Month at All Saints

In June we will highlight a variety of music composed by African-American songwriters and musicians. This week we will sing two familiar and well-loved spirituals, “This Little Light of Mine” and “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” 

“This Little Light of Mine,” composed in the 1920s, has unknown authorship. Nevertheless, it became an important part of the civil rights movement and has been part of the ongoing fight for enhanced civil rights. 

“There Is a Balm in Gilead” is a traditional African-American spiritual dating to the 19^th century. Again, while authorship is unclear, it is dearly loved and a deeply spiritual piece. A version of the refrain can be found in Washington Glass’s 1854 hymn “The Sinner’s Cure.” I might also add that it is one of the favorites of our Rector!  

If you have a favorite spiritual or hymn by an African-American songwriter or composer, please let me know, and I will do my best to work it into our music program for this African-American Music Month. Colin Collette: colin@allsaintschicago.org

All Saints has a long history of using many music resources for our Sunday and Holy Day worship. While we rely heavily on both The 1982 Hymnal and Lift Every Voice and Sing, we also regularly incorporate classical music, as well as newly or recently composed liturgical music.

All Saints Book Club

Thursday, June 13 at 7:30pm (Zoom)

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

“A complex, layered page-turner…This is a book that will read, I suspect, quite differently to various audiences—funny to some, deeply uncomfortable and shamefully recognizable to others—but whatever the experience,….Let its empathetic approach to even the ickiest characters stir you, allow yourself to share Emira’s millennial anxieties about adulting, take joy in the innocence of Briar’s still-unmarred personhood, and rejoice that Kiley Reid is only just getting started.” —NPR 

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.

SAVE THE DATES!

Hymns in the Courtyard

Calling all angels

& saints to a hymn sing!

Wednesday, July 10 at 7:00pm

Theology at the Annex:

Faith, Life, & Work

Wednesday, August 14 at 7:00pm

Learn More HERE

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.



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

Join Us in Registering Families for Christmas Baskets

This year, we need your help during the months of June and July to register approximately 1000 families.

Volunteers will welcome families, help determine their eligibility for the program or record their individual Christmas wishes on a simple google form. This is a great opportunity for you, your family or a group to meet and get to know some of Chicago's struggling families.

Registration will be held on the following days:

Wednesday, June 26th 

Friday, June 28th

Saturday, June 29th 

Wednesday, July 10th 

Friday, July 12th

Saturday, July 13th 

Wednesday, July 17th

Friday, July 19th

Saturday, July 20th 

Wednesday, July 24th

Wednesday, July 31st

All registrations will be held at ReVive's office at 1668 W. Ogden Ave., Chicago, Illinois. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Please join us for all or a portion of a day.

Thank you to for your support of Padré Bayron’s ministries in Mexico during our Outreach Fiesta on Sunday, May 12!

Because of your generosity, we will be giving around $7,000 in the coming year to Padré Bayron’s ministries in the Diocese of Cuernavaca. Thank you for the kindness shown and for making him so welcome during his 2024 visit!

As those of us who have visited him can attest, he would love to have his new and old friends come to see his congregations in person. The Outreach Committee will keep you up to date as to how your contributions are being used.

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

2024 Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30

Spread the word: all are welcome! 

On June 30, members of the Diocese of Chicago will march in the 2024 Pride Parade with the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches (All Saints is a member!).

The parade officially kicks off at 11 am from Sheridan and Broadway in Uptown and treks through the north side of the city, ending near the intersection of Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road in Lincoln Park.

Watch for more information, including volunteer opportunities and the meet-up location and time in upcoming newsletters and on the Facebook Event page.



For parade-goers in Chicago, St. Peter's Episcopal Church is located right on the route (617 W. Belmont) and will have their doors open from 9 am through the end of the parade. St. Peter's will hand out free bottles of cold water and provide accessible, all-gender bathrooms that are open to parade-goers. All are invited to stop by St. Peter's for music, hospitality, and a place to cool off.

Education for Ministry (EFM) at Atonement is recruiting

Church of the Atonement in Edgewater has an active EFM program and is now recruiting for the year beginning in September. All Saints has a few members participating.Those new to EFM or anyone who wants to continue are welcome.

Education for Ministry is the Episcopal Church's lay theology program, operated by the The University of the South at Sewanee (under the direction of All Saints former Associate Rector The Rev. Kevin Goodman). It is a four-year series of study on the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Church history, and theology. These years are also marked by building spiritual community by reflecting theologically, sharing our Christian faith and beliefs, and seeking God's call to ministry. 

To learn more, contact Annie Logue (annielogue@gmail.com) or Megan Turnquist (megan.turnquist@gmail.com).

Also, if you're an EFM graduate interested in becoming a mentor, let us know: if we can find mentors, we can set up an EFM group here at All Saints.

The 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church

June 23-28 in Louisville, Kentucky

Join thousands of Episcopalians and neighbors for the final revival in Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s term—a ministry that has inspired Episcopalians to come together for Jesus-centered worship, prayer, and action. Give thanks for Bishop Curry’s leadership, deepen your love for God and one another, get immersed in inspiring worship and community, welcome new friends discovering Jesus through The Episcopal Church, and kick off the 81st General Convention.

On Saturday, June 22, the day before General Convention begins, Bishop Michael Curry will lead Love Always, the final revival of his term in office. The service of prayer and music will be an opportunity to thank Bishop Curry for his nine years of leadership. 

A livestream will be available on The Episcopal Church’s Facebook and YouTube pages, and on the General Convention media hub. 

Public Talk at All Saints’: Choose Compassion Over Fear

His Eminence Demo Rinpoche

Saturday, June 8 from 2:00 - 3:30pm

Free Admission. Registration Requested.

Come join His Eminence Demo Rinpoche for an exploration of how compassion can help overcome the limitations caused by fear and confusion, and serve as a reliable guiding force for our everyday lives. His free public talk will take place at All Saints’ Parish Hall.

Register at chicago@jewelheart.org

More info HERE

Meditative Monday at All Saints

Heart and Breath

Monday, June 10 at 6:00pm

Access Contemporary Music presents a unique experience combining a guided meditation with a live performance of music by some of the most important composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. 

On Monday, June 10 they present a performance of a fascinating piece by Arcade Fire multi-instrumentalist and composer Richard Reed Parry in which the musicians are instructed to wear stethoscopes to perform the music along with their own heartbeats.

Guided Meditation by Katie Bellamy

Get your $20 Ticket HERE

Our next Vestry meeting is Tuesday, June 18 at 7:00 pm in the Reading Room.

Any member of All Saints is welcome to sit in on our monthly meetings.

You can read the April minutes approved at our May meeting HERE.

Facebook Livestream Team at the 11:00am Service

Audio: Jacob Farmer

Camera: June Coyne

www.allsaintschicago.org

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