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Dear Saints,
One of my earliest remembrances is of being in the 4th of July parade. Though I grew up in New York, my neighborhood had its own parade and once I was in scouts, I was in it every year. When I lived in Washington, D.C. there were parades through the circle where I lived, and I would put down my books to go watch and listen to the brass band. When I married Bill, the first place he served as a priest was in northern Michigan. I remember going to a small town near the church to watch a parade put on by the potato farmers. The man on one of the floats threw Bill a potato, “this is for you, Father.” Even better was the Bi-Centennial parade with every group and organization in town taking part.
I love a parade. But my feelings about the 4th of July changed when Bill came back from serving in Vietnam. Because of his position, he had a price on his head, and he spent the entire year looking over his shoulder. When he came back, he brought PTSD with him. One night a picture fell off the wall in our bedroom and Bill was under the bed before I was even awake. With that kind of reflex, fireworks were torture. The best ones were in Boston where we watched from our hotel room, and we could see everything and hear nothing. As he got older, it got worse. And eventually we stopped going all together.
I am happy to be an American. We have a history of trying to get things right. We have gifts to offer the world in education, technology, creativity, literature, science, and medicine. I was in France when The Rev, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. I mourned with all my fellow Americans who joined together for mutual support. That is the part of me that loves a parade and thrills with pride as the flag goes by.
At the same time I believe in a world economy. I have travelled outside of the US since I was 12. I know that we are interdependent. If there is a volcano eruption in Finland, planes on both sides of the Atlantic don’t fly. And I believe we are better off if we and all the other countries of the world share our gifts and buy from each other.
The opposite is when nationalism and patriotism are distorted by self-centered ideology. Some churches teach that if I believe enough (and contribute) I will be saved and that will involve me becoming rich. This ‘me first’ theology is applied to our national life also. We need to make sure we have everything we need and more, and if other peoples and nations suffer, too bad. God does what I want rather than the other way around. “Christian Nationalism” reminds me of fireworks: a pretty picture but the sound of fear and war.
Our faith is built on a different foundation. Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself;” “Love one another as I have loved you.” And Paul was led by the Spirit to take the church from a local denomination to a worldwide church, from Jerusalem to Rome. And it was all based not on the building up of me, but on the building up of the community through the self-sacrifice and love of those who called themselves Christians.
So I wish you a happy and safe 4th of July. And I remind you that true patriotism is outward not inward looking.
Peace,
Karen
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The Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday, July 4
**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.
| ATTENTION: Beware of Email Scammers! Please remain vigilant against email scammers pretending to be Simon or another member of the clergy or staff, including those who might appear to use a legitimate All Saints’ email address. We will never ask you to buy gift cards, send us money individually, or fulfill any task for us on a personal basis. If you have any suspicion about an email you receive from someone who looks like they could be from All Saints’, please call or text the staff member in question to double check. | | |
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!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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
| | 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! Register here. Contact Marcia Mayfield, mmayfield@allsaintsatlanta.org, for more information.
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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.
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Young Adult Fellowship Online!
Are you in your 20s or 30s and interested in fellowship, discipleship and service? Reach out to Piper Shifflett 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!
| | SERVICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | | |
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 here or contact Arjun Srinivasan at arj6950@gmail.com.
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Backpack Buddies
Begins Sundays, July 13, 20, 27, Kennedy Courtyard
Our Backpack Buddies backpack and school supplies drive for former refugee children is back! Please stop by the courtyard on Sundays, July 13, 20 and 27 to pick up a backpack tag to shop in person or email Holly Stevens at hollybstevens@gmail.com for donation information. All backpacks are due August 5 and can be dropped off in the collection bins in the Ellis Hall Foyer.
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Summer Volunteer Opportunities at 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.
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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.
Threads is having a great summer but we still need your help!
Threads is in need of the following:
Boys shorts - size 10, 12, 14, and 16
Boys summer pants - size 12, 14 and 16
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Faith & Justice Collective
The Faith & Justice Collective news team is taking a vacation for the month of July. If you would like to read previous copies of the newsletter, please click this link. Look for the next issue on August 1st.
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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.
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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.
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Connect with us on Realm!
Learn more >> Don't forget to join Realm, our new platform for online giving, directory, and event registration.
Questions? Please contact Betsey Gibbs at bgibbs@allsaintsatlanta.org.
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