Rector's Corner The Feast of St. Matthias February 24, 2010                                         Dear Friend in Christ, The Feast of St. Matthias, February 24th is always during Lent.  As such it is one of the few “red letter” feast days that occurs early enough in Lent not to be eliminated by the supremacy of Holy Week.  Consequently at seminary the solemn evensong for the vigil of the Feast of St. Matthias always eliminated what would have been the regular evening prayer on the lesser feast of St. Polycarp on February 23rd.  I often wondered if St. Polycarp thought this meticulous keeping of the church calendar was fair.  After all St. Polycarp was a bishop and was spectacularly martyred at Smyrna in 156 AD.  Whereas nothing is known about St. Mathias other than he was chosen by lot to join the remaining eleven original disciples after Judas died.  Not much of a claim to fame, but enough to bump poor St. Polycarp out of an evening prayer. Church history and liturgical practices are full of such intrigues of status.  One would think that Lent should be so full of “self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial and reading and meditating on God’s holy Word”1 that one would simply concentrate on Lent rather than on other feasts or fasts.  But no, we are Episcopalians, Anglicans, who endeavor always to keep the middle way by choosing to do both Lent and St. Mathias and St. Polycarp at the same time. This means that for us, Lent is a busy time of the year.  There are special Lenten Programs and services.  There are liturgies that are done only once a year and the regular celebration of Sunday as a Feast of Our Lord.  There’s Holy Week with services every day of the week.  There all the things we do individually for Lent: days of special devotion or fasting, additional prayers and/or readings and good deeds or activities.  Then there are all the things we do to prepare for Easter: spring cleaning of the church, silver and brass, special vestments and altar linens, hangings, vessels, etc. So what’s to do?  Do what ever works for you.  Choose one or more from the Church’s Invitation to a holy Lent: self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial and reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.  Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert to prepare himself for his ministry.  Lent is our preparation for Easter and for renewal of our Baptismal Covenant.  Observing a holy Lent will help us keep our Baptismal Covenant.  Observing a holy Lent will help us follow Jesus all throughout the year. Faithfully, The Rev. Christine J. Day Rector              1Book of Common Prayer, 1979 Ash Wednesday Liturgy

Why Do We Call That??? Ever wonder why Maundy Thursday is well, Maundy? Or why Good Friday is Good?  Check out these questions and more at the Season resources section of anglicansonline.org.  Anglicans Online is an excellent resource where you can find about almost anything Anglican: from online Books of Common Prayer, Bibles and much, much more.  Check it out!

Soft Space1  Update   It’s been nine months since the Vestry accepted and approved the recommendations of the Worship Committee and Christian Ed to create a “soft space” for families with small children.  It’s been three months since a second “soft space” was created to provide more space for All Saints’ babies, toddlers and their families.  It’s time for an update. Both areas have been carpeted and gated.  There are rocking chairs, soft toys, age appropriate books, hassocks, Eucharist and Baptism magic cubes and fabric bins for storage in both “soft spaces.”  In addition, one of the spaces has a bean bag chair.  At the next work day, March 27th, colorful felt dividers or curtains will be attached under the pews in the “soft spaces” to provide more softness, safety and sound absorption.  Eventually there will also be cushions on the “soft spaces’” pews also to help with reverberation. The “soft spaces” have been used many of All Saints’ nineteen young children, babies and their families—most often at the 10 AM celebration of Holy Eucharist.  (News alert—five more babies are expected this spring!)  Some new members have made All Saints’ their church because the church is so welcoming with the “soft spaces.”  It is hoped that come September there will be a Toddlers’ Sunday School class that will meet during the 10 AM service sermon time.  This will supplement with Bible Stories and activities what the children learn by example in worship.  As the adage goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” it takes an entire parish to teach a child love God with one’s heart, mind and soul.  If you would like to help out with the “soft spaces,” maybe be a parent’s helper please contact Nancy Elwood (telephone: 785-9397 or e-mail nelwood1@stny.rr.com).  ____________________________________________________________________ 1 For those of you who are “Newcomers,” a “soft space” is an area in church with rugs, cushions, pillows—for sound absorption—soft toys, perhaps child-sized furniture and maybe a rocker or two.  The “soft space” allows families with small children to sit together during worship services in a comfortable and inviting space.  There active little children can safely move around while the adults are able participate in the liturgy.

“Jesus Christ Superstar” Lent Program Continues at 5:30 PM on Sundays in Lent      Come on Sundays during Lent at 5:30 PM to explore Jesus Christ Superstar.  Through the familiar and not so familiar words and music of Jesus Christ Superstar and Passion Gospels Jesus’ last week, what we call Holy Week, will be examined and discussed.  Nearly forty years ago, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice shook the worlds of music and faith with the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.  Musically it was a new genre—rock opera.  While the rock idiom was part of 1970’s popular music, the fact that it had no spoken dialogue, made it an opera, not a musical.  Plus the title number, “Jesus Christ Superstar” had been released as a “concept” album nearly a year before its Broadway debut performance.  This was both a unique and rather backwards way to market and produce a Broadway show.  Meanwhile people of faith were divided about the work itself.  Handel’s Messiah, a baroque oratorio was one thing: sacred classical music in a concert performance.  Jesus Christ Superstar was not.  It was rock and a staged Broadway performance.  While based on the Bible, unlike the Messiah, most of the libretto was not scriptural.  Then, of course there was the problem of ending Superstar with John 19: 41 (Jesus’ burial) rather than with Jesus’ resurrection.  It was either blasphemy or brilliant and the show was both picketed and sold-out!  Come on Sundays at 5:30 PM continues on Sundays, and find out “What’s the buzz?”  Sign-up in the Narthex.

“Soup Box” Offerings Lent is fast approaching, and this leads me to remember the generosity of the parish through last year's Soup Box offerings for the Soup and Sandwich Saturday lunches.  We collected enough money to supply good nutritious meals for many people .  As noted in the annual report, our numbers are going up, and we think there are many folks who have  come to depend on our program.  My hope is that we can do it all again.   This is how it works.  Many people give something up during Lent.  For example, chocolate, or between meal snacks, or their daily lottery ticket.  The money saved is put into a soup box (provided by the Sunday School) and collected on Easter Day.  If you need a new box, please let Nancy Elwood know.  Thanks, in advance, for participating.  As always,  I am awed by the generosity of All Saints!  — Debbie Thorpe, Chair of the Outreach Committee

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$$$ and Sense - January 2010 All Saints’ 2010 budget is once again a “faith-based” budget—based on faith: faith that All Saints’ will receive what it needs for its ministry.  In the secular world, this would have been called a “deficit” budget: a deficit of $1,310.  At All Saints’ it is a budget based upon the known resources, expected expenses and faith that with “God all things are possible” (Mt. 19:26)—including an extra $10,000 or so!  In 2010 a monthly income of $13,650 will be needed to balance the expenses.  As this update of All Saints’ finances is prepared before the end of the month, this report will reflect the status as January 31, 2010. Income Through January 2010 Annual Budget 2010 Offering & Pledges $   12,983 $143,600 Fundraising $        244 $    9,500 Other Income $          10 $    9,395 Faith Income $         * 0 $    1,310 Total Income $   13,237 $163,805 Total Expenses $   14,307 $163,805 Profit(Loss) $    ( 1,070) $0 Questions?  Ask Treasurer Don Thorpe, a Warden or a Vestry member.

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Life Goes On Our March luncheon will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17th at The Fish Fry in Endicott. If you are planning to attend, please phone Arlene Foley so that she can make adequate reservations.

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Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed Please consider volunteering to host a Coffee Hour. All that is involved is providing goodies for about 40 people. The Goodies can be home made or just bought from a store. I usually make the coffee on Sunday morning as I have to be to church early as Dave has Choir practice at 9 AM. You just have to clean up after everyone leaves usually by 11:45 AM. February, March and April have many open Sundays.  If you have any questions, give me a call at home in the evenings or see me at church. If anyone wants to provide a cake to celebrate a special occasion, just let the person that has signed up know   — Judy Horton

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Swine Flu and Seasonal Flu* Concerns By Barbara Chaffee, MD Reprinted Trinity Times, Volume 3 –no.10 Everyone is nervous about the H1N1 ("swine flu") influenza, and there is reason to be concerned. However, remember that the influenza we see every year ("seasonal flu") is associated with more deaths than H1N1. H1N1 is more likely to spread among children and young adults; people born before 1957 may have  partial immunity. For this reason, the vaccine will be distributed first to children, pregnant women, health care workers, and those with other illnesses that put them at risk. However, if possible everyone should get BOTH the vaccine for seasonal flu AND the vaccine for H1N1 flu.  Here are the other suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control:     ♥  Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.         ♥  Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.     ♥  Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available,          use an alcohol-based hand rub (sanitizer).     ♥  Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.     ♥  Try to avoid close contact with sick people.     ♥  If you are sick with flu-like illness*, CDC recommends that you stay home      for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or      for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a      fever-reducing medicine.)     ♥  While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from       infecting them.     ♥  Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and      other measures to keep our distance from each other to lessen the spread of flu. What does this means for us in church? We will have sanitizer available at church. Wash your hands or use the sanitizer as you enter church and as you leave. It also makes sense to use it as you come forward for communion. It is generally safe to shake hands when you pass the peace, but if you feel more comfortable just making eye contact and greeting your neighbor, that is a reasonable choice. Do not come to church if you are sick*. Get your Vaccine for seasonal flu and for H1N1. They will be available from your doctor or the health department * "flu-like illness" means fever, achy muscles, cough and/ or runny nose. Some people get diarrhea, but influenza typically does NOT cause stomach symptoms. However if you have vomiting or diarrhea, you may have another virus, for which hand-washing and staying home until you are well is also very important. News from the Office: We have sanitizer available at the church.  Please wash your hands or use the sanitizer as you enter church and as your leave.  It also makes sense to use it as you come forward for communion.  It is generally safe to shake hands when you pass the peace, but if you feel more comfortable just making eye contact and greeting your neighbor, that is a reasonable choice.

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