Dear saints,

Welcome to the summer season, where many of us find a bit of rest. Thank God for that! I would like to take this opportunity to think theologically with you about the Biblical notion of sabbath. 

Walter Brueggeman’s fantastic book Sabbath as Resistance shows sabbath as the most counter-cultural act that the Israelites can perform in Pharaoh’s Egypt. Pharaoh wants more and more bricks for more and more economic output, breaking backs along the way. But God (often referred to as YHWH in the Hebrew scriptures, anglicized and pronounced “Yahweh”) calls the people to remember sabbath and keep it holy. 

Brueggeman believes we can take three lessons from the story:

1. “That YHWH is not a workaholic; 
2. That YHWH is not anxious about the full functioning of creation; and,
3. That the well-being of creation does not depend on endless work.” 

Fusing the Exodus story with Jesus’ good news, he concludes: "'Weariness,’ ‘being heavy-laden,’ and ‘yoke’ are all ways of speaking of the commodity society of endless productivity… But Jesus offers an alternative: “Come to me and rest!”  

Indeed, sabbath is a practical divestment, such that neighborly engagement, rather than production and consumption, defines our lives… To cease, even for a time, the anxious striving for more bricks is to find ourselves with a “light burden” and an “easy yoke.” It is now, as then, enough to permit dancing and singing into an alternative life.” 

So take a good long nap this afternoon. Find some “time away from the hustle-bustle” (that’s how the architect of Piedmont Park described his goal for outdoor space). Get out of town for a minute. Swim in a beautiful body of water. Call a friend and put a work project on hold—it’ll be there when you come back. Hike in the mountains, and be healed by the forest (there is research to support this). Be blessed by relationships with your family and friends this summer.

May we be restored in these coming weeks, and may we ever return to Jesus, who promises, “Come to me, you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

I thank God for the joy and privilege of serving with you at All Saints’!   



Sincerely,

THIS SUNDAY

Trinity Sunday

Sunday, June 4, Church

• 8:00 a.m. (Rite I in the Chapel) 
• 10:00 a.m. (Holy Eucharist Rite II)
• 5:00 p.m. (The Welcome Table in the Chapel) 

Stump the Organist 

Sundays from May to August, 9:50 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., Church 

Back by popular demand, we will reprise "Stump the Organist" this summer beginning June 4. Plan to arrive ten minutes before the start of the 10:00 a.m. service and call out anything in the hymnal you'd like to sing. 

A Service of Recovery and Healing 

Sunday, June 4, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., on Zoom 

Led by The Rev. Bob Book, our Service of Recovery and Healing meets on the second Sunday of each month at 4:30 p.m. ET. We focus on one of the 12 Steps in the context of an Evening Prayer service. Anyone interested in recovery is welcome; confidentiality is required. Visit our website for more information and to register. 

The Welcome Table: Sunday Evening Worship Service and Dinner 

Sundays with Courtyard hospitality at 5:00 p.m. and Worship at 5:15 p.m. in the Chapel 

We invite you to a re-imagined evening worship service in the chapel, where we experience God’s hospitality and love for the world. The service includes beautiful music from a variety of traditions, accompanied by piano and a solo instrumentalist. We’ll share communion together, light candles as a symbol of our prayers, and enjoy a meal together afterwards. The sermon is brief and preached from the floor. The prayers invite your participation. The space is set up like a dinner gathering, in the round. 

Jesus on the Front Page

Sundays, 9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m., P305/306 

Join this ongoing discussion of the news of the day and how we are called as Christians to respond in the public arena, in our private lives and in our prayers. 

Photo of the Week

On Sunday, May 28, we celebrated Pentecost and the 120th anniversary of our parish. During our service there were three infant baptisms and we bid farewell to our rector, Simon Mainwaring, who started a summer sabbatical that afternoon. Afterward, we had a delightful gathering in our courtyard complete with tasty snacks and live music from a band!

If you made a 2023 Financial Pledge:

- Did you update your credit card info for recurring payments in 2023?

- Do you have a Realm account to check your pledge balance, produce your own year-end statements, use the parish directory feature with photos? 

To get a Realm account, contact Betsey Gibbs, Membership Coordinator, bgibbs@allsaintsatlanta.org  and receive an invitation to join Realm. It’s as easy as that!

Give A Gift That Doesn’t Come in a Gift Bag:  

Remember a Graduate you love with a gift to the Memorials and Gifts Fund. We will send a notice to your graduate of the gift you gave All Saints’ in their honor. 

To get a Realm account, contact Betsey Gibbs, Membership Coordinator, bgibbs@allsaintsatlanta.org and receive an invitation to join Realm. It’s as easy as that! 

Questions? Contact Ellen Hayes, Director of Development, at ehayes@allsaintsatlanta.org.

All Saints' offers easy ways to pay your pledge or to make a gift:

• Online at allsaintsatlanta.org/give
• Mail a check to All Saints’ Church, 634 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30308
• Put a check or cash into the offering plate during services
• Text to Give: text AllSaintsAtlanta to 73256
• Gift stocks or securities (click here for instructions >>)

• Novel Theology >>

Meets one Wednesday a month on Zoom from 7:00-8:00 p.m.. Click the link above to learn more and register.

• Popcorn Theology >>

Meets one Friday a month in the Ross Room from 7:00-9:30 p.m. Click the link above to learn more.

• The Journey Bible Study >>

Meets every Monday at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom. Register here.

• Jesus on the Front Page >>

Meets every Sunday morning at 10:20 a.m. in P306 in the Parish House.



• Sports and Spirituality >>

Meets the third Thursday of each month on Zoom. Register here.

Atlanta Summer Organ Festival Concert with Ray and Beth Chenault 

Wednesday, June 14, 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Church 

The year 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the Kenan Memorial Organ, dedicated on All Saints Sunday in 2003. Internationally renowned recitalists Ray and Beth Chenault return to the bench for the first time since their retirement in 2018, performing an exciting and eclectic program featuring four hands and four feet. This concert is part of the annual Atlanta Summer Organ Festival. A $15 donation is requested at the door; no ticket is required. A festive reception featuring AV Gourmet catering will follow in Ellis Hall. 

Refugee Ministries Sunday 

Sunday, June 18, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Church and Ellis Hall 

We welcome guest preacher Rev. Dr. Richard Hill who has led many churches in Refugee Ministries. At 11:30 join us in Ellis Hall for lunch and an interview with Dr. Heval Kelli, an Emory cardiologist who was resettled by All Saints' in 2001 with his family from Syria. 

Just Action: A Conversation with Richard and Leah Rothstein  

Tuesday, June 13, 6:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m., Ellis Hall 

Join us for an evening with Richard Rothstein and his daughter, Leah Rothstein, co-authors of Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law. The authors will be interviewed by Rev. Natosha Reid Rice. This event includes a reception, a Q&A session and a book signing. Link

Save the Date - Generation Celebration Kanuga 2023

Friday, September 29 at 5:30 p.m. - Sunday, October 1, 2:00 p.m., Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, N.C.

Early registration for our annual parish retreat at Kanuga Conference Center is coming soon. Payment plans will be available. And special thanks to our Chairs Kate and Greg Richeson for organizing the retreat. For more information, please contact our Director of Parish Life, Jill Gossett at jgossett@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Weekly Children & Youth Formation 

Nursery/Little Saints 

Birth-Pre-K, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1st floor of the Pritchett Center 

Children’s Church 

K-5th grade, 8:40-9:30 a.m., 2nd floor of the Pritchett Center

Children Formation 

K-5th grade, 10:20-11:05 a.m., 2nd floor of the Pritchett Center

Youth Formation 

6th-12th grade,10:20-11:05 a.m., The Attic (3rd floor of the Pritchett Center)

Stirring the Soul for Racial Equity: A Pilgrimage to the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing 

Saturday, June 3, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Off-Site 

Please join your All Saints' family and friends for this special event to learn more about the amazing work underway at the Center. Dr. Catherine Meeks will lead our discussion and tour, followed by a delicious lunch from Naanstop and a walking tour of the Atlanta University Center. A small charge of $15 is the only payment and will cover the cost of lunch. Scholarships are available. For more information, contact Janet Kibler at janetkibler58@gmail.com. Link

Vacation Bible School Volunteers Needed 

June 5 - 9, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., The Attic 

Come share a day or two or the whole week with our children and teens at VBS. The only skills needed are a love of Christ and the willingness to serve! It is a lot of fun and you will have a group of other adults to help. E-mail Kathy Roberts at kroberts@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Refugee Ministries: 2023 Swimming Buddies Program 

Saturday, June 10, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Off-Site 

Kids look forward to Refugee Ministries Swimming Buddies program all year. We especially need help with transportation and water supervision. For more information and to sign-up, contact Louisa Merchant, Director of Refugee Ministries, at louisam@allsaintsatlanta.org 

Respite Care Atlanta 

Mondays in June and July, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, 2715 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 

Respite Care Atlanta is a program designed to provide daycare to people with dementia and “respite” for the caregivers. This is a very flexible volunteer opportunity! Our next volunteer information sessions are June 12th and July 10th. Contact Susan Virgin: sdv20@bellsouth.net. for more information. 

Threads Donation Needs 

Please bring your new donations to one of the Threads drop boxes located on the first floor of the Pritchett Center and in the first-floor stairwell between Egleston Hall and Ellis Hall (under the stairs outside of the choir suite). 

• boys’ and girls’ new sneakers: sizes 13, 1, 2 and 3 
• adult size men’s shoes, appropriate for children: size 7 ½  

Threads School Clothing Drive

Would you be interested in helping Threads by organizing a clothing drive at your child's school? We have the flyer printed and ready for you! It's easy! Just contact Lori Guarisco at threads@allsaintsatlanta.org 

Threads Welcomes Families for Shopping

Threads welcomes families for in-store shopping Thursdays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Interested in volunteering? Contact Lori Guarisco at threads@allsaintsatlanta.org 

New History in All Saints' Library Display Cases 

All Saints' has a long history of members and clergy who have authored books on theology, philosophy, meditations and stories.  Many of these books are on display in the All Saints' library archive cases until the end of the year. Check them out in the Egelston Library. Want to join the Library team? Have books to donate? Please be sure the books are theology-focused or from The New York Times bestseller list within the last five years. Contact Gail Rogers at gailrogers851@att.net or Gloria Hayes at foundpoem@hotmail.com. Thanks! 

Photo Sharing at All Saints’ 

The Communications Team invites you to submit photographs of All Saints’ events via e-mail for inclusion in forthcoming publications, newsletters, monitor feeds and on social media accounts. If you have content to share, please send photographs via e-mail to communications@allsaintsatlanta.org in .JPG or .PNG formats. 

Click the image above to view our "thank yous" to parishioners from various staff members. We appreciate the ways you serve our parish and community!