Dear saints,

If there’s one thing that Episcopalians are particularly good at, it’s living by the seasons — liturgical or otherwise. Last Sunday marked the beginning of our summer worship schedule and I, for one, am grateful. As a result of growing up in an apartment on a prep school campus, being a student myself, and then spending the first half of my career as a professor, around now each year everything in me longs for a hard stop, a clear ending. One of my favorite prayers in J. Philip Newell’s Celtic Benediction affirms that I should listen to what my body and spirit are telling me: “Let me know in my own soul and body the rhythms that you have established. Let me know in my family and friendships the disciplines of withdrawal and the call to engagement. Let me know for my world the cycles of renewal given by you for healing and health, the pattern of the seasons given by you for the birth of new life.”

While I might fantasize that the hard stop at the end of the program year or academic calendar will usher in a season of utter laziness, it never does or can. It offers something more life giving than that — new summer patterns given by God for the birth of new life, to paraphrase Newell’s prayer. The 10:00 am worship service, for example, invites more creative participation from us, not less, in the form of a community choir and the prayers of the people written by parishioners. Weekly formation for children and youth is paused and replaced by intensive weeks of Vacation Bible School and a youth mission trip, both of which contain a strong dose of transformative power. Starting Monday, Kathy Roberts and her crew will host 80+ kids in the Attic for VBS, 24 of which are children from the refugee families we accompany, with another 26 youth serving as counselors. The summer season invites us into rest but also into new and different kinds of engagement.

Programs may pause, but the work of the church never ends, because our relationships don’t end. Throughout the summer, resettlement teams will continue to accompany the refugee families they’ve befriended. The Freedom Writer pen pal ministry will continue to write and receive letters from our friends incarcerated in Georgia prisons. Our relationships with children and families at Threads will deepen through a pilot choir camp. And the Covenant Community men residing on our block will do almost anything with us if we invite them — attend a movie or Braves game, go to the symphony or art museum, learn pickleball.

What the summer allows us to do is step back and notice how easy it is to fall into the trap of viewing church as programs or events on a calendar instead of an invitation to shared life together —to bear one another’s burdens and celebrate joys, especially with people across difference whom we would otherwise never come to know.

One of the reasons my experience teaching in prison was so transformative for me fifteen years ago is because it was the first time in my life that I experienced ministry not as a program or duty but as mutual friendship (emphasis on the mutual) — an opportunity to love and be loved. Before being invited to teach a class session in the pilot program of the Certificate in Theological Studies at Metro State Prison for Women, I knew nothing about prisons nor had any connection with anyone impacted by the system. All I could offer were theological texts and some skill at creating classroom discussion, but it was the women themselves who had to make sense of the texts in light of their experiences in prison. They were the experts on their lives. By seeing myself rightly, as one who needed them to teach me how to be in solidarity with them, I grew in unexpected and lifegiving ways. And because I found kindred spirits inside the prison, women whose questions and faith journeys surprisingly mirrored my own, I kept going back inside that hard place, in season and out.

We, too, are invited into relationships that at first might seem hard or intimidating. All we need to bring is ourselves, and whatever little we have to offer — season tickets for Covenant, a car to transport a refugee family, nostalgia for old fashioned letter writing. As we respond this summer to the rhythms that God has established for our renewal — disciplines of rest and engagement — may we be open to the possibility that the deep rest and renewal so many of us desire might be found in a counterintuitive way, through the courage and vulnerability it takes to put oneself out there, to know and be known.

Peace,

The Rev. Jenny McBride

This Sunday

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Sunday, June 1

**NEW SUMMER SCHEDULE**

UPDATED Weekly Service Times

• 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I (Traditional language, no music)
• 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II (Contemporary language, choral music, livestream, nursery available)
• 5:00 p.m. The Welcome Table (Contemporary language, music) 

WORSHIP ONLINE: Please worship with us online! Our 10:00 a.m. service will be available live at allsaintsatlanta.org/live and on youtube.com/@AllSaintsATL. Recordings will no longer be available on Facebook, but will still be immediately available on our YouTube channel.

PARKING: Overflow parking is available at the Bank of America—please enter on North Ave. Get a validation ticket upon entry. Please request an additional validation ticket from an usher in the church narthex upon arrival or exit. Use both validation tickets upon exiting the Bank of America parking deck to park free of charge. The lot at The Varsity is under new management and is no longer available for parking. Ticketing and towing are being enforced. On Sundays, street parking is free. 

NURSERY: Our nursery remains open for children, ages birth through Pre-K, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Join the Summer Choir!  

Sundays through August 17, 8:45 a.m., Church  

Have you always wanted to sing in the All Saints’ Choir but time or experience has kept you away? Now is the time to give it a try! The Summer Choir meets at 8:45 a.m. each Sunday to learn an accessible anthem which is then sung at the 10:00 a.m. service. No previous experience as a singer is necessary. Feel free to commit to singing one or many weeks; all we ask is that you let Director of Music Scott Lamlein know you’re coming: slamlein@allsaintsatlanta.org Let’s praise God together in our song! 

Stump the Organist

Sundays through August 17, 9:50 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., Church

Our summer prelude begins at 9:50 a.m. in the summer. Come request your favorite hymns, as played by our Director of Music, Scott Lamlein and our Associate Director of Music, Justin Maxey.

Jesus on the Front Page 

Sundays, 9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m., Parish Hall 307 

In this weekly Sunday morning discussion of a current news story, participants reflect on how we are called to live as faithful people. In a nonpartisan reflection, we explore how we might be called to pray differently, think differently or act differently in our private and public lives. We ask where God might be found in this story and learn to name our lament as well as our hope. Email Clark Lemons (clemons@emory.edu) if you have questions! 

Brunch & Bible Study Sunday, June 1, 11:30 a.m. - 1.30 p.m., Ross Room

Come enjoy a delicious catered meal, lively conversation, and bible study with the All Saints' Young Adults' following the 10:00 a.m. service. All are invited – whether you're looking to connect for the first time, reconnect after a long while, or keep connections going! Childcare is available upon request. Contact: Tasia Blair at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

The Welcome Table: Sunday Evening Worship Service and Dinner  

Sundays at 5:00 p.m., In the Chapel and Ellis Hall  

Before your busy week begins, the Welcome Table is a place to join with others and find rest and refreshment. Come to the Welcome Table: a service with contemplative music, singing, communion and prayer (together and in ways that speak to us individually). A community dinner for all participants follows the service. 

Memorial Day weekend kicked off our summer schedule and 10:00 a.m. summer worship service. Our summer choir sounded great and is ready for you to join! No previous experience needed, just let Scott know you're coming and meet in the Church at 8:45 a.m. Looking forward to a summer of praising God together!

Sunday had the special honor of being the 50th anniversary of Rev. Karen Evans' ordination to the priesthood. Don't miss more pictures of Karen's special day on our Facebook Page. While you're there, be sure to like & follow us. Congratulations, Karen! We are so glad to have you at All Saints'!

Celebrating the 2025 Annual Canvass: 634 Pledges • $3,394,555 Raised!

Thanks to your incredible generosity, our total pledges grew by 3.6% this year — a powerful testament to the strength and commitment of our All Saints’ community. Heartfelt thanks to our devoted Annual Canvass Chairs: Edgar Callaway, Patrick Becker, and Rainey Woodward.

Please give generously to our All Saints’ offering plate, in-person and online. 

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

Give online: allsaintsatlanta.org/give

Mail a check: to All Saints’ Church, 634 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30308

Text to Give: text AllSaintsAtlanta to 73256

Put a check or cash into the offering plate during the services, gift stocks or securities

Discover more ways to give at: allsaintsatlanta.org/give. 



If you have questions, please e-mail them to:

Julie Lockhart, Director of Development, jlockhart@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Sounds of Freedom: Juneteenth Concert Featuring the Atlanta Music Project Summer Series AMP Café

Monday, June 16, 7:30 p.m., Church.

The Atlanta Music Project will offer a free concert with their advanced middle school and high school students in the church on Monday, June 16. Come celebrate Juneteenth with some of the bright lights in Atlanta’s up and coming music community. Learn more about this concert and our full Music at All Saints' concert series here.

Juneteenth: The Journey to Justice and Joy

Tuesday, June 17, 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Ellis Hall.

$12 suggested donation for dinner.

As we honor the legacy of Juneteenth, which marks the end of enslavement in the United States and freedom for all Americans, we reflect on the joyful journey toward justice. It comes with setbacks, and reconciliation and the work is not easy, but it is soulful work. When we work toward equity, healing, and justice for all, we experience joy because we align ourselves with God’s commitment to the love and wellbeing of all who are created in God’s image. Join us for an evening of fellowship, inspiration, and song, as we recommit ourselves to this Great Work. Speakers include Bishop Wright, Natosha Reid Rice, Sheffield Hale, and Marla Frederick, Dean of Harvard Divinity School. Contact: Andy Barnett: abarnett@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Organ Recital by Chase Loomer Music at All Saints' Launch Week

Wednesday, June 18, 7:30 p.m., Church

Chase Loomer is Organist and Associate Director of Music at the Cathedral of St. Philip, and a first-rate recitalist. We are honored to host this concert as part of the Atlanta Summer Organ Festival, and the launch week of our new Music at All Saints' concert series. Music will include works by Bach, Debussy, Rachel Laurin, and Raymond Chenault. Join us and invite your friends! $15 suggested donation at the door. Learn more about this concert and our full Music at All Saints' concert series here.

The Journey Bible Study - Prophets & Kings 

Weekly on Mondays, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., on Zoom 

The Journey Bible study will have its last meeting before summer break on June 9. The Journey through 2 Kings will resume the Monday after Labor Day at 11:00 am via Zoom. For more information or to sign up for the class, please contact The Rev. Karen Evans, kevans@allsaintsatlanta.org.

PARISH LIFE

Please Note: Wednesday Night Supper takes a break for the summer and will return on August 20th.

Save the Date: Annual Parish Retreat at Kanuga Conference Center

Friday, October 3 - Sunday, October 5, 2025, Hendersonville, N.C.

Save the Date to join the All Saints’ Parish for a weekend of fun and fellowship. Registration is now open! Visit the table in the courtyard or contact Marcia Mayfield, mmayfield@allsaintsatlanta.org, for more information. 

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Vacation Bible School Registration is Open!

All Saints' VBS 2025: God’s Love

Monday, June 2 through Friday, June 6, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Aftercare until 5:00 p.m., The Attic

Rising Kindergarteners-5th grade are invited to come see what God’s Love is all about! All children are welcome! VBS is such a different and wonderful time for the kids. They go deeper in their formation, deeper in their friendships - old and new, and deeper in their connection with God and this community. They form friendships with all ages that keeps them wanting to come back on Sundays throughout the year. 5th graders will be counselors-in-training, but still do all the camper stuff! Register for VBS here: https://bit.ly/AllSaintsVBS2025

6th-12th graders can be counselors. To sign up to be a counselor, please email Kathy Roberts with your interest and T-shirt size, kroberts@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Summer Break



Nursery/Little Saints: Birth-Pre-K, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., 1st floor of the Pritchett Center - Remains open for the Summer!

Our children’s and youth programs take a break for summer, as do our children’s and youth choirs. All other children’s and youth programs will return in August. Email Emily Halbert for more information at ehalbert@allsaintsatlanta.org.

YOUNG ADULTS

Young Adult Fellowship Online! 

Are you in your 20s or 30s and interested in fellowship, discipleship and service? Reach out to Tasia Blair at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org to receive our monthly newsletter, get added to the WhatsApp group chat and find out what events we have coming up! 

A BIG thank you from MAC!

Thank you for participating in the All Saints' and MAC Annual Lenten Food Drive! A grand total of 3,800 lbs. of food was collected! Club 45 (the 4th and 5th graders) moved the food to the MAC pantry and the 7th graders moved the last of the food drive items as a service project for Rite 13. We are so grateful for your help in lifting up MAC's work and serving the community.

Matthew 25 Service Project: Threads at Emmaus House

Saturday, June 7, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Emmaus House, Peoplestown

Our Matthew 25 volunteer group is excited to host a Threads pop up at Emmaus House in Peoplestown. Our pop-up will offer clothing, diapers, lunch and a festive atmosphere for 75 children and their families. This Matthew 25 project will strengthen relationships between All Saints’ volunteers, Emmaus House, and Threads, and will help us learn how to implement the Threads pop up model so it can be used in the future in other contexts such as Clarkston. If you would like to volunteer on June 7, you are welcome during the time of the event at Emmaus House or during set-up from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Louisa Merchant, louisam@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Volunteer this Summer with MAC

Spend your summer with MAC! We are looking for volunteers to help throughout the summer months. MAC is a great place for high school students who would like to help serve the community or need any volunteer/service hours. Please reach out to savanna@midtownassistancecenter.org to sign up. 

Bring and Share a Meal with Covenant Community Residents

Mondays, 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m., Tate Hall

What better way to get to know the residents at Covenant Community than breaking bread together? Sign up for a Monday Insight Dinner, where parishioners bring and share a meal with approximately 15 men. Most residents arrive after detoxification to live in Covenant Community for six to nine months, building a new life without addiction, while learning new life skills to enable their success. Sign up at covenantatlanta.org and contact Arjun Srinivasan at arj6950@gmail.com. 

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 Marcia Mayfield. Threads needs you! Contact Marcia Mayfield at threads@allsaintsatlanta.org.

You may purchase items please via the Threads Amazon Wishlist:

bit.ly/ASECThreadDecember2024 

NEW! May's Faith & Justice Newsletter! Here are the highlights:

• Small Groups Forming for a Better Way
• Community Building Amidst Challenging Times
• Hallelujah for Refugees!
• Join MAC’s Annual Midtown Race 
• Midwives of Justice: The Work of Casa Alterna
• Novel Theology Reviews James
• Recommended: Video of the Rev. Jennifer Butler Presentation

• 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.

• 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 P307 in the Parish House.



• Sports and Spirituality >> Meets the third Thursday of each month on Zoom. Register here

Share Your Photos! Share Your Expertise!

Did you know that you can submit photographs of All Saints’ events to share with the Communications Team? If you want to make a habit of it, join the Photography Guild! Contact Kathy Powell at communications@allsaintsatlanta.org.