Dear saints,

In an effort to ensure that staff members stay awake during meetings, every now and again I'll ask them to tell us all something spectacular about their lives. As you can imagine, this part of proceedings goes on a while, as they are, in my estimation at least, such fascinating people. "Tell us about anything out of the ordinary that happened to you over the Christmas holidays", I asked. 

Jeff, our facilities manager, was confronted with a black bear one night outside a cabin in the Tennessee hills. If you know him, you'll appreciate how of all of us on the All Saints' staff, Jeff is surely best placed to deal with your average mountain bear, although I have since loved to imagine a large black furry creature wandering the Tennessean countryside wearing the rather fine bedroom slipper that Jeff left behind as he fled the scene for the safety of the indoors. 

Kathy, our communications director, had an encounter of the opposite variety as a minivan full of family broke down on the way to Florida only to stop essentially at the end of the drive of an angel in human form who within a short few hours had relocated Kathy's brood to a car repair place, who promptly swapped out the faulty radiator for a new one while Kathy and her kids enjoyed a great time shopping in the adjacent mall. They were back home in Florida before midnight. 

The most remarkable story, however, was told by more than one staff member who made their way to see the Buddhist monks who have been walking a 2,300-mile journey from Fort Worth, TX to Washington D.C. in recent weeks on what has been called a "Walk for Peace". One of the staff described how as the monks appeared a hush came upon the hundreds who had gathered there. They rested for a few minutes, bathed in light, as people strained to hear what they had to say. Apparently, there was even a dog who lay quietly at their feet. A kind of epiphany in Fayetteville. 

Turns out that God shows up in our lives in all sorts of unexpected places. Indeed, one of the things that will do our spiritual lives most harm is to hang on too tightly to our pre-conceived notions of where we will encounter the divine. Barbara Brown Taylor writes about an ‘altar in the world’. I imagine that you will have found it in all manner of settings. A corner turned on a wooded walk in the spring. The stillness of a winter morning. The arresting brilliance of a sunset. And, of course, in one another. 

Perhaps you are curious, as I am, as to what those Buddhist monks will say when they deliver their short speech on the steps of the U. S. Capitol. I'm sure the words will be a powerful testament to what their walk is intended to stand for. Yet, for me it is the trail of light that they leave behind them on those 2,300 miles trodden across the southern portion of the country that has left the greatest impression. Imagine what it would be like if another group, of let’s say Episcopalians, decided to receive the monks extraordinary endeavors as an invitation of sorts to a relay, and set off from there for Dearborn, Michigan. And then imagine if from there a group of Muslims set off toward Seattle, WA, and so on, until the country was criss-crossed with paths of light, footprints of peace across a fractious land. 

It would, no doubt, be an epiphany, but of what do you imagine?

The point, I suppose, of epiphanies, is that they are not meant to be tied down to any particular meaning. They are, by their nature, brushes with the mystery of the divine. Yet, those glimpses of God that life’s little epiphanies gift us with do have a cumulative effect of inclining us to look at the world in a different sort of way. What would this country be like if its people were increasingly inclined to look for the divine when they glanced across the street or across the political aisle? And what would our steps be like in the world if our intention was to leave behind us a trail of light? 

When, in 1965, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched from Selma to Montgomery, AL, he wrote afterwards about how he felt that his legs had been praying as he walked. As we now enter this season of the Epiphany, the season when we draw to mind God’s glory made manifest in the world, we might ask what sort of prayer our feet will utter these coming weeks. Wherever you’re going, I wish you God’s company. Just watch out for bears. 

Peace,

This Sunday

First Sunday After Epiphany

Sunday, January 11

• 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I (Traditional language, no music)
• 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II (Service today led by children, Contemporary language, choral music, livestream, nursery available)
• See you at 10 (Gather for coffee, doughnuts, and fellowship in the courtyard)
• 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II (Contemporary language, choral music, livestream, nursery available)
• 5:00 p.m. The Welcome Table (Contemporary language, jazz trio) 

WORSHIP ONLINE: Please worship with us online! Our 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. services, along with today's Vocation of Faith Series, 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.

NURSERY: Our nursery is open for children, ages birth through Pre-K, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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.

Join Us for Sunday Breakfast

Sunday, 7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m., Ellis Hall

Come join us! Meet new families, reconnect with friends, and enjoy a delicious meal together. Cost: $12 for adults & $7 for children.

The Vocation of Faith Series: Accepting God’s Call to ...

To Dream with Parishioner Virginia Apperson

Sundays, January 4 & January 11, 10:30 a.m. - 11:05 a.m., Ellis Hall & via Livestream

Watch Part 1 with Virginia Apperson here. The Sunday morning Vocation of Faith Series focuses on the various ways God calls us to be more fully human, as we accept God’s call to work, to see beauty, to sing, to plant, and to dream. In this series, parishioner-presenters will share how the practice helps us grow closer to God or helps us be the people God intends us to be. For more information contact Jenny McBride at jmcbride@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Faith and Justice Collective Luncheon

Plan A: Ensuring Access to Healthcare in the Rural South

Sunday, January 11, 2026, 12:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m., Ellis Hall 

Join us in January for a presentation from Caroline Weinberg, the founding executive director of Plan A, who will speak about her work creating mobile clinics in Georgia 

and Mississippi that bring free healthcare directly to underserved communities in the rural South, with an emphasis on improving sexual and reproductive health. 

Please register in advance for a $16 meal from Chef Sam at https://bit.ly/FaithandJustice_Jan. For more about the Faith & Justice Collective, read their newsletter. Contact Jenny McBride with questions at jmcbride@allsaintstalanta.org.

Parenting with God: The Parable of the Leaven

Sunday, January 11, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 11:10 a.m., Ross Room

Join us as we continue our study of the Parables and what they may say to us as parents and what we may teach our children from the wisdom of these stories. The Parable of the Leaven is our next story, so all you bakers -let's get cooking! All folks who care about children are invited to join us as we wrestle with God's Word. 

Jesus on the Front Page 

Sundays, 10:30 a.m. - 11:10 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! 

The Welcome Table: Sunday Evening Worship Service and Dinner  

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

We invite you to come to The Welcome Table, a service with singing, communion and prayer accompanied by The Welcome Table Jazz trio. A community dinner for all participants follows the service in Ellis Hall. The cost is $10 for adults and no charge for children under 18 years of age.

Shining in the City: There is still time!

As we approach the end of our calendar year, we are deeply grateful for the many ways you share your time, gifts, and faith with our All Saints’ community. Your pledges and participation make our ministries possible and help us continue shining God’s light within and beyond these walls. If you haven’t yet made your 2025 pledge, there’s still time and every commitment makes a difference. Thank you for helping us finish the year with hope, gratitude, and joy!

Every gift matters and makes a difference! Pledge online today. 

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

Have You Moved Recently? Let the church know your new address and contact information! To update these details, contact our Membership Coordinator, Betsey Gibbs, at bgibbs@allsaintsatlanta.org.

WORSHIP & MUSIC

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr January 17-18, 2026

MLK Jr. Weekend Concert

Saturday, January 17, 5:00 p.m., Church

Join us for our annual celebration of Dr. King’s life and legacy. Members of Theodicy Jazz Collective– Saxophonist Will Cleary and Vocalist Imani Grace Cooper– will play with our hometown rhythm section: Pianist Andy Barnett, Grammy-Winning Bassist Kevin Smith, and Grammy-Winning Drummer Robert Boone. The group will offer a concert on Saturday night, hosted by the Rev. Natosha Reid Rice. 

MLK Jr. Sunday with Guest preacher-teacher Laura James

Sunday, January 18, 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m., Church

Join our guest preacher-teacher, Laura James, members of Theodicy Jazz Collective, and the All Saints’ Choir as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday. Join iconographer Laura James for a forum in Ellis Hall following the 9:00 a.m. service.

Contact Andrew Barnett abarnett@allsaintsatlanta.org for additional information.

Darren English Headlines Next Jazz at All Saints

Friday, February 13, 7:00 p.m., Church

Grab your seat for the next Jazz at All Saints’ concert which will spotlight Darren English, the young South African trumpet virtuoso whose latest album, “He Says/She Says,” will premiere its U.S. release that evening at All Saints’! The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. in the church and will be followed by a robust Q&A and a reception in Ellis Hall. Put the date in your calendar and get your ticket at allsaintsatlanta.org/jazz/. 

Composer of the Week

This Sunday’s offertory anthem, “Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks,” is one of the most celebrated choral anthems by the English composer Herbert Howells, who composed the piece in a single day in 1941 while he and his wife were “mewed up by snow” in a Gloucestershire cottage during World War II. It is known for its elegant passion, sensuous harmonies, and shifting tonalities that capture the emotional depth of the psalmist's longing for God amidst suffering. Howells is a mainstay of the Anglican choral repertoire, with good reason: 'I have composed out of sheer love of trying to make nice sounds’, he writes, in acknowledgement of his instantly recognizable, rich harmonic language and his seemingly endless streams of melody woven together. 

ADULT FORMATION

Adult Inquirers Class-Winter Session

Wednesdays, January 14 - February 11, 2026, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Zoom & In-Person Dinner

The Adult Inquirer’s Class is a four-part introduction to the life of faith at All Saints’. The first three meetings are on Zoom with the final session in person over dinner at the church. Participants are asked to commit to all four sessions. Additional adult inquirers classes will be held later in the spring and fall. Upon completion of classes, confirmation and membership will be available. For more details, contact Tracey Sage tsage@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Faithful Advocates - Faith in Action: How Real Change Happens

Monday, January 12, 7:00 p.m., Zoom

With the 2026 Legislative Session just around the corner, All Saints’ Faithful Advocates presents Faith in Action: How Real Change Happens. All Saints’ own Erin Cassel will show us how to maximize our advocacy efforts as we learn how influence actually works in the state legislature and why our efforts still matter. For more information and to receive the Zoom link, contact Suzanne Wakefield at faithfullocals@gmail.com. 

The School of the Spirit | Encountering Scripture: The Psalms

Wednesdays, January 14 - February 4, 2026, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Hybrid P305/306 or via Zoom

Join us for the next School of the Spirit four-week course on the Psalms, taught by Candler Foundry’s Ryan Bonfiglio, one of All Saints’ favorite instructors. We will examine ancient Israel’s prayerbook and how it probes the depths of faith with stunning honesty and vulnerability. Emphasis will be placed on how the Psalms can inspire us to dig deeper wells of spirituality in our own lives today. Email Jenny 

McBride for the Zoom link at jmcbride@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Women’s Overnight Winter Retreat

Friday, January 30 - Sunday February 1, 2026, Offsite

This fall we have reflected on the relationship between health and spirituality at two Sunday luncheons focused on loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, body, and strength (Matt 22:37-38). We continue the theme of how to nourish our whole selves at an overnight retreat, led by parishioner and nutritionist Karen Riggs and Rev. Jenny McBride, who will explore food at the intersection of spiritual, physical, and mental health. Register and pay here by January 15 for the two-night retreat at Timberroot Rustic Retreat in Oconee, TN. Contact Jenny McBride at jmcbride@allsaintsatlanta.org with questions. 

Novel Theology: The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen

Wednesday, January 21, 7:00 p.m., Ross Room or Zoom

In January, Novel Theology celebrates Jane Austen’s 250th birthday with a discussion of her final novel, Persuasion, a story of vanity, pretension, and, above all, second chances. Please join us on January 21 at 7 pm in the Ross Room or on Zoom. Email Laura Trott at Lmtrott@gmail.com for more information. 

Walking the Mourner's Path Grief Support Group

Wednesdays, starting January 28, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Shaffer Room (3rd floor Parish House)

There are still a few places left. Contact The Rev. Karen Evans, kevans@allsaintsatlanta.org, if you are interested.

PARISH LIFE

The Name Tag Nook: Name Tag Station in Parish House

Name tags are stored in a custom-built vestibule in the Parish House. You are part of our community, and we want everyone to know your name! Click here to request a nametag.

Exciting Mural Announcement

In the spring of next year, All Saints’ will collaborate with our artist-in-residence, Aysha Pennerman, to create a mural on the concrete base of the Pritchett Center parking deck along Spring Street and Ponce. The project is being made possible via a significant investment from Midtown Alliance, a grant awarded to Aysha, and generous donations from All Saints’ parishioners. The mural focuses on the theme of hope and will feature 3-D doves that will be attached to the railings of the upper parking deck, and images and color that will draw people to the vibrancy of our city block and the hope and healing that happens down the street at Covenant Community and the Midtown Assistance Center.

For the thousands of people who pass us by on Spring Street each week, the mural will offer inspiration and a clear expression of our values as a church. You are invited to view banners illustrating the mural design on Spring and Ponce. There are also postcards around the campus asking you to name what you hope for. We want to hear your feedback and ideas for the message the mural could send the city. Please contact our rector Simon for more information and to share your thoughts: smainwaring@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Youth Pilgrimage to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands 

Tuesday, June 16 – Saturday, June 27, 2026

High schoolers in 10th-12th grade are invited to a pilgrimage adventure in June of 2026 to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The youth pilgrims will work in the local Episcopal Church and with our partners there, Education Equals Hope and build relationships with the local community. Register here by January 7, 2026 to book your place. For more information, see the flyer or contact Luke Nolfa at lnolfa@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Children’s Church (Sundays)

2nd fl Pritchett, gathering 8:15 a.m. - 8:45 a.m., service in the church at 9:00 a.m.

Children’s Formation (Sundays)

2nd fl Pritchett, 10:30 a.m. - 11:10 a.m. Doors open after See You at Ten (10:00 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.) in courtyard.

Youth Formation (Sundays)

3rd fl Pritchett (The Attic), 10:30 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.

Doors open after See You at Ten (10:00 a.m. -10:25 a.m.) in courtyard.

SNL & Y’all Saints (Sundays)

3rd fl Pritchett (The Attic), 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Join us at the Epiphany Bonfire on January 4.

Children’s Choirs (Wednesdays)

• Cherub Choir (PK-K) 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Primary Choir (Grades 1-2): 4:35 p.m. - 5:10 p.m.
• Junior Choir (Grades 3-6): 5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Junior Handbells (Grades 4-6): 6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 

Youth Choir (Grade 7-12) (Sundays)

• Handbells: 4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Choir: 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

YOUNG ADULTS

Brunch & Bible Study

Sunday, January 18, 12:30 p.m., Ross Room 

Come enjoy a delicious meal, lively conversation, and Bible study with the All Saints' Young Adults' group following the 11:15 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: Piper Shifflett at youngadults@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

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! 

Matthew 25 Mission Trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos

Tuesday, June 16 – Saturday, June 27, 2026

Parishioners aged 18 and up are invited to a mission trip in June of 2026 to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The mission trip will travel with All Saints’ youth pilgrims and share some time together on location, but will mostly work separately in the local Episcopal Church and with our partners there, Education Equals Hope and build relationships with the local community. Register here by January 7, 2026 to book your place. For more information contact Luke Nolfa at lnolfa@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Threads Welcomes Families For Shopping

At Threads, every Thursday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., our doors open wide to welcome families for in store shopping — not just for clothing, but for a sense of comfort, dignity, and a renewed sense of hope and joy. If you’ve ever wanted to make a meaningful difference, this is your invitation. Whether you can lend a few hours or come regularly, your presence matters. You’ll be part of a beautiful mission that wraps families in love.

There are many ways that you can help Threads Kids

• Drop off gently worn, clean children’s clothes

• Shop our Amazon wish list: bit.ly/ASECThreadsWishlist

• Make a financial contribution and be sure to click Threads Donation in the drop box: https://onrealm.org/AllSaintsEpisco85474/-/form/give/now

Thank you for caring.

Faith & Justice Collective

A great way to stay updated! This month's Faith & Justice Newsletter includes:

• Men’s Spirituality Group Host a Simple Meal with a Powerful Impact
• F&J Luncheon Focuses on Innovative Healthcare in the Rural South
• Parishioners Support Immigrants at ICE Headquarters
• Concert and Guest Preacher Headline MLK, Jr. Weekend
• Start the New Year in a Sacred Ground Dialogue Circle
• MAC Celebrates 40 Years of Family Support
• Learn How to Exert Influence at the State Legislature

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.