May 23, 2024 Edition

Recently I was reminded, “You don’t do retirement well!” It is true that my time following retirement from Cabarrus County Schools was some of the most productive of my life. It is also true that since I retired from active ministry, I find myself increasingly focused on “being” rather than “doing.” Lately, I have been wondering: is this the slipping away from the doing into being retirement, or is the the entry into a season of transformation?

In my garden, each year’s season is different, filled with beauty, disappointment, awe, growth, pruning, life, and death. The seasons of our lives are like that, too. I know mine are. Click to continue reading.

Church Office will be closed on Monday, May 27 in honor of Memorial Day. We will be open our regular hours on Tuesday through Friday.

You are invited to join the Small Group that meets on Wednesdays at 7 PM. We are beginning a six-week Bible study on June 5. Be with us as we study Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts and Outlaws, by Adam Hamilton, which explores the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Luke. Through Luke’s stories we find Jesus’ care and compassion for all as he welcomes sinners and outcasts. As we study Luke and see Jesus’ concern for those who were considered unimportant, we hear a hopeful and inspiring word for our lives today. It is available on Amazon and Abe Books. ALL Are Welcome! Questions? Contact Chuck Collier.

Be a part of Camp Do Good – Give Blood! All Saints' will be hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday, June 5, from 2:30 to 7:00 PM. Click to sign up and search for “allsaints” in the "Find a Blood Drive" box. Select the one in Concord!

By the Grace of God and with the consent of the people, The Right Reverend Samuel S. Rodman, Bishop of North Carolina, will ordain Emily Collins Badgett to the Sacred Order of Deacons in Christ’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 11 AM at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1623 Carmel Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 28226. Your prayers and presence are requested. Emily's ordination can also be viewed on the diocesan Facebook page. We joyfully anticipate The Reverend Emily Badgett joining worship as Deacon for the first time on Sunday, June 9, at All Saints'. Receptions will be held following services.

HONDURAS IS CALLING! As most of you are aware, we have been participating with a medical mountain mission group, Friends of Barnabas Foundation, since 2017. It has been the reason for our numerous pie fundraisers! It has been a richly rewarding venture. It is our desire to begin building a team from All Saints'. It is not required that you have a medical background, in fact half of the team members are not medical. To that end, we have invited Erin Caldwell, President of Friends of Barnabas Foundation and Patti Wagner, Medical Director of Friends of Barnabas Foundation, to come speak here at All Saints' on Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 10 AM, between the two Sunday services. They will provide information about the programs and opportunities. We are looking to fill a team for March 15-22, 2025. The minimum age is 18. If you want additional information, visit the website www.fobf.org. You can also contact either of us, Debbie or Joe Stegman. Our information is in Realm. We hope you will prayerfully consider this opportunity, and we look forward to seeing you on June 23.

The "Tuesdays at Three" discussion group will start a new four-week discussion and study of Adam Hamilton’s “Why – Making Sense of God’s Will” on Tuesday, June 4. This group has been meeting by Zoom since Advent of 2020 and is excited to welcome new faces to the table! For the Zoom link, or further information, please contact Charles McKinley or Brenda Trott.

Summer Planning | Looking ahead, here are a couple events to place on your summer calendar. Details will be coming soon!

• Bishop's Visit – June 16
• Parish Par-Tay – July 14
• Volunteer Luncheon – July 16 at Noon
• Vacation Bible School – August 1-3

As we continue to pray for Al Bonnyman's recovery, Jean says they would welcome video messages from All Saints' friends and parishioners. You are invited to record an encouraging video message on your phone and text or email it to Jean Bonnyman. She will share them with Al when the time is right. Jean Bonnyman's contact information can be found in Realm.

We are excited to report that work on the church parking lots has been completed! Thank you so much for your patience as this important project was accomplished! We hope everyone enjoys the newly smooth driving and parking experience! Landscaping projects will be upcoming to beautify the impacted areas.

Scholarship Update from Deacon Jackie | When I retired as an active deacon, this community gifted to the Whitfield Education Scholarship at UNCC as a way to honor my ministry. The scholarship supports potential elementary education teachers hailing from Cabarrus County. What joy it was for me to meet and get to know two of the recipients this spring. One recipient is now a teacher at Furr Elementary and the 2024 recipient will be a student teacher at MPES in the fall. Your support assisted in making this possible. I am so grateful. Thank you!

Got any Class of 2024 graduates? We'd love to share your graduation news with the parish! If you have an immediate family member graduating from high school, college, grad school, or a professional school, please share the good news with us! We're compiling a graduation list to share on Sunday, June 2. Please send your grad's information to Tiffany Fulton, Director of Youth & Family Ministries, by Wednesday, May 29.

We offer love and congratulations to Phieu "Phil" Kpa and Dylan Halloway, grandson of Fred and Judy Weber, on their marriage on May 3, 2024.

We offer love and congratulations to Peter Alexander and Anna Catherine Carroll, daughter of John and Jennifer Carroll and granddaughter of Marilyn Carroll, on their marriage the first weekend of May 2024.

Rev. Nancy will be on Sabbatical from July 22-October 24, 2024. Rev. Nancy shared what she anticipates during this time. Martin Ericson, Senior Warden, shared the plan for church operations.

Prayer is the foundation of the ministry of this parish. If you would like to request prayers, please share here. If you are hospitalized, please let the church know. If you are unable to make the call yourself, ask for the chaplain on call and they will make it for you. The church phone number is 704-782-2024.

Prayers have been requested for Jennifer, Chris, Steve, Nora, Forrest, Al, Jean, Wendy, Rita, Frank, and Lucas.