The Bell Tower All Saints Episcopal Church Reisterstown Parish A Letter from Father David Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your Feast--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. For seven days celebrate the Feast to the LORD your God at the place the LORD will choose. For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. Deuteronomy 16:13-15 Dear All Saints family, Volume 14, Issue 10 October 2014 Mission Statement: OUR MISSION IS TO INVIT EVERYONE TO COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD; TO CHALLENGE ALL TO GROW AS DISCIPLES THROUGH HIS WORD AND HOLLY SPIRIT; AND TO SHARE HIS MESSAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD. Inside this issue: Letter from Fr. David 1 God s Older Children 2 Stewardship Corner 2 Messages from the Body 3-4 Announcements 6 Calendar of Events 7 Can you believe it is October? This year has certainly gone by quickly, or at least is seems that way. For us living in the northern hemisphere October is a month of change both in the weather and in the number of hours we enjoy daylight. Even so October is one of my favorite months as the temperate weather replaces the heat and humidity of summer. Heat and humidity are not my favorite things. With the amount of rain we have had there is a good chance we will have spectacular fall colors, another of my favorite things. In the Jewish calendar the Feast of Sukkot or Tabernacles is celebrated from October 15th-22 nd. Sukkot was originally the feast of ingathering or the joyful celebration of the harvest. Many of our Jewish neighbors will build temporary dwellings outside their homes and eat their meals there as a reminder of the temporary dwellings their ancestors lived in during the 40 years of wandering in the desert. It also was to symbolize the temporary dwellings workers lived in while they were gathering the harvest. Two of the traditional elements of the festival are water and light. Prayers for future rain to water next year s crops and a celebration of light where huge candles are lit on the Temple grounds to remind the people of God s glory. Jesus celebration of this festival is recorded in John s gospel as he took traditional elements of the festival and applied them to his own life. I am the living water, and whoever drinks of this water will never thirst again. I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. After our long Growing Season what a wonderful opportunity we have to rejoice at the ingathering of the Lord s harvest. Jesus has given us many reasons to celebrate this past year. Over the summer we learned about God s mercy and grace that was poured upon us through the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We learned how we have been forgiven, justified, granted eternal life, and made fellow heirs of all of God s promises. In light of all these mercies we are called to share these blessings with the world. My prayer is that every one of us will bring the Good News of the Gospel to someone during this harvest season. And we will all participate in the Lord s Harvest. Blessings, Fr. David Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 16:16-17
Volume 14, Issue 10 The Bell Tower Page 2 Slow Me Down Lord Submitted by Mary Thayer from God s Older Children Slow me down, Lord Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, amid the confusion of my day, the calmness of the everlasting hills Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory. Help me to know the magical, restoring power of sleep. Teach me the art of taking minute vacations -- of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines from a good book. Slow me down, Lord, and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life's enduring values, that I may grow towards the stars of my greater destiny. Wilfred A. Peterson Stewardship Corner As I near the end of my Vestry term, it is difficult to realize three years have gone by so quickly. A lot has changed since my last Vestry term some 30 odd years ago. We have gone through difficult times but now are a viable Church again. Fr, David and Janet coming to All Saints has instilled fellowship, friendship and community within the Parish. Ministries have been established that involve many people. Innovations, such as the annual Advent Tea, have become a community event not just a Church function. Prayer has become a staple in the way we look for help and guidance. We have learned that God does provide with the means to make decisions. However, I do think that, through prayer, God will show us how to receive the resources we need to sustain All Saints in the future. I do not think He will drop the resources in our lap no matter how hard or diligent- by Carroll Johnson ly we pray. I think He will give us the ideas to move forward successfully. Furthermore, the Vestry must be completely involved in the financial condition of the Church. That is a very important responsibility that must be upheld. Stewardship is more than the giving of time, talent and treasure. It is also the management of our resources in an effective and efficient manner.
Page 3 ALSoTours Star Spangled September Visit to Fort McHenry If you wish to be added to ALSoTours' list of preferred recipients early notifications, please contact Neal Haynie with your email address (hayneal@verizon.net) Thanks to all who contributed to the new Barbara Carr memorial garden, which is now complete. Take a look on the wet side of the church! ALL SAINTS ON TOUR... Save this date: Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014 Join us for a trip to the annual Greek Festival in Upper Mt. Vernon Celebrate all things Greek at the 39th annual festival. Greek foods, drinks, desserts, live music and dancing, authentic items for sale, a silent auction, tours of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, kids' activities, and much more.
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Volume 14, Issue 10 The Bell Tower Page 6 Special October Birthdays Janet Lewis will celebrate her 84 rd birthday on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 (7200 Third Ave., Apt. C050 Sykesville, MD 21785-5238) Douglas Falkner will celebrate his 88 th birthday on Monday, October 13, 2014 (253 Oak Drive, Orrtana, PA 17353) Doris Gugel will celebrate her 84 rd birthday on Sunday, October 5, 2014 (326 Lauren Hill Drive Reisterstown, MD 21136-6513) Janet (Judy) Wroe will celebrate her 93 nd birthday on Saturday, October 11, 2014 (8 Worthington Hill Drive Reisterstown, MD 21136) HAPPY OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS Marge Ewertz, October 1 Terry Kratz, October 2 Adonis White, October 2 Richard Reier, October 7 Michelle Stewart, October 7 Jennifer Bandzwolek, October 8 Tessa McNamara, October 9 Jalyn Bosley, October 24 Janet Stenner, October 26 Verna Sanacore, October 28 Marcia Henshaw, October 29 Katelyn Wright, October 29 Special September 50 + Anniversary Frank and Lillian Mitchell will celebrate their 58 th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 (225 Bond Ave. Reisterstown, MD 21136-1314) Special August Anniversary Sarah and Ryan Tanguay, October 6 (2) Terry and Steve Kratz, October 26 (29) Note from the Parish Office: If you know of anyone who will celebrate their 80th birthday or older or who will have a 50th wedding anniversary or higher, please call the parish office to make sure we are aware of the information. Thank you.
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October 2014 All Saints Episcopal Church 203 E. Chatsworth Ave. PO Box 279 Reisterstown, MD 21136-0279 Phone: 410-833-0700 Fax: 410-833-2352 E-mail: allsaints_church@verizon.net We re on the web: www.allsaints.ang-md.org