Dear saints,

I’ve been reading a book recently called The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land written by Palestinian Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli Maoz Inon. Abu Sarah and Inon live lives on opposite sides of what can so easily seem to be an endless state of war in the Middle East, yet each was drawn to the other because of a common experience of grief. Abu Sarah lost a brother who as a child was arrested and beaten by Israeli defense forces, and later died. Inon lost both of his parents, each killed in the October 7th attacks by Hamas. Like so many in the country they share, and in the region beyond, they have faced the centripetal forces of rage and despair that can easily threaten to collapse in on a person faced with a loss that is both deeply personal and publicly rehearsed over and over again as the cycle of violence goes on, seemingly inexorably. Yet, somehow, they chose a different path: peace. 

Peace can so readily look like a fantastical hope for Palestinians and Israelis, as indeed it can look in many places around the world today. In the three years between the work they began together and the book’s release this year, tens of thousands have been killed. While Abu Sarah and Inon traveled the country, tracing the story of their two lives, countless other families’ lives were literally blown apart as homes, school rooms, hospital wards, and places of work and worship were obliterated. To speak of peace within such a context might easily be mistaken for naivety or willful ignorance. Yet, reading their book, it is clear that the two men have tapped into a deeper source of hope that recognizes that within the response to all conflict lies a choice between mutual exclusivity or the possibility of lives held in common. 

Mutual exclusivity is the fashion du jour. We see it in the narratives governments weave about the state of geopolitics, and we see it in the banality of online chatter. It tells us the lie that "you can never understand my pain." It perpetuates the stories communities tell themselves that their suffering cannot be shared or appreciated by those on the outside of the lines that demarcate their common identity. The Jewish collective memory of the Shoah, or the Holocaust, is seen as categorically different to the Palestinian collective memory of the Nakba; or more recently, the sting of death on October 7 for Israelis and the sting of death since then for Palestinians are seen as somehow incongruous pains. We see a similar pattern of existential separation to a smaller degree in our own everyday political life here in the United States, yet perhaps in the long-run in no less segregating way. From the well-worn tropes of party political separatism, to a myriad of other ways, we are apparently set apart from one another across age demographics, racial groupings, urban vs rural settings, regions, genders, sexual orientations, countries of origin, religions, and a thousand different mundane consumer choices. We are told, almost to the point of exhaustion, not merely how different we are collectively to others, but perhaps more perniciously, how different you are to others. It is the shadow side of the age of self-realization and the empowerment of the individual - when it’s your truth that governs how you see and move within the world, only you can truly understand how it feels when that world inevitably disappoints you. Or put another way, when all of us get a trophy, everyone loses. 

In heartbreaking and harrowing circumstances, Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon found another way, and in the telling of their visits to the places of their respective lives as a Palestinian and Israeli separated by so much, they  make the value proposition of a life held in common with others. Essential to that enterprise was avoiding the all too readily available pitfall of needing to agree. They did not seek to arrive at a singular understanding of history. Instead, they walked, ever deeper, into one another’s stories. They listened. They received. And thus, they came home to one another.

Of course, any student of Middle Eastern political history might reasonably dismiss this as heartening but not truly hopeful. There will only be peace in that region when people in power choose to make it so. I don’t deny the necessity of the political will needed for a world to wage for peace. There is a reason why political figures like the late, great Nelson Mandela are revered as reconcilers. A peaceful world needs peace-loving leaders, and as long as world leaders today continue to place greater emphasis on defense spending than they do on diplomacy and multilateralism, hopes for peace in our time will flounder. Yet, the fact remains that we also have a part to play. 

When Gary Mason, the Methodist minister and visiting Emory professor who has preached at All Saints’ over the years, speaks of his own experience as a participant in the Northern Ireland peace process, he noted that even with the profound political will on all sides to reach a peace agreement, after decades of bloody violence and loss, it took the people in churches and in the wider community to make peace a reality. Peace in Northern Ireland became possible because everyday people chose to let go of mutually exclusive lives and find ways to pursue a life held in common not only with people they barely knew but in many cases with people who had caused them harm. 

You and I also have the choice between mutual exclusivity and commonality. It is a choice that will play itself this very week within the lives of many of our families of origin and within our marriages, in our workplaces and across our city. Endless enmity is not inevitable, anywhere upon the earth, because in the final analysis we are not separate but one, fashioned not by our own will and power, but by the divine life whose presence is indivisible. That theological conviction should fuel how we see and act within the world. The future is indeed peace, if we choose it to be so.

Peace,

This Sunday

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Sunday, May 17, 2026

• 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I (Traditional language, no music, Chapel)
• 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II & Confirmation with Bishop Wright (Church & Livestream)
• See you at 10 (Gather for coffee, doughnuts, and fellowship in the courtyard)
• 10:20 a.m. Sundae Sunday Celebrating All Saints' Volunteers (Come have ice cream with us in the courtyard or Ellis, weather depending)
• 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II & Confirmation with Bishop Wright (Church & Livestream)
• 5:00 p.m. The Welcome Table (Contemporary language, jazz trio, Chapel)

PLEASE NOTE - SCHEDULE CHANGE: On May 24, NEXT SUNDAY, All Saints’ moves to our summer schedule with an 8:00 a.m. Spoken Eucharist (Rite I, Chapel), a 10:00 a.m. Choral Eucharist (Rite II, Church & Livestream), and The Welcome Table at 5:00 p.m (Chapel).

WORSHIP ONLINE: Please worship with us online! Next week we will move to our summer schedule with only ONE service livestreamed at 10:00 a.m. This Sunday, our 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. services 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. Next week with the start of the summer schedule, Nursery hours will move to 9:30-11:30 a.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 - LAST ONE of the Program Year!

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. PLEASE NOTE: Sunday Breakfast takes a break for the summer and will return on September 13.

Moving Up Celebration

May 17, 9:00 a.m. service, Church

Come help us pray for and celebrate the 3rd and 5th graders who will be moving up into Club 45 and The Attic. Each will receive a gift to celebrate this Milestone Moment in their faith journey.

SUNDAE SUNDAY! Celebrate All Saints’ Volunteers

Sunday, May 17, 10:20 a.m., Courtyard

As we come toward the end of our program year, all those who have volunteered their time and talent at All Saints’ this year are invited to be recognized at a celebration following the 9:00 a.m. service where we will serve ice cream sundaes and give thanks for our parish’s life together. For more information, please contact Marcia Mayfield: mmayfield@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Parenting with God

Sundays, 10:30 a.m. - 11:10 a.m., P305/306

Come join other parents to discuss an article or topic near and dear to your hearts on this parenting journey. Class is led by parents with once-a-month class led by Kathy Roberts on our book, The Parables written by Josh Scott. 

Jesus on the Front Page

Sundays,10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m., P307

In this weekly Sunday morning discussion of a current news story, participants reflect on how the world of that story calls us 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, as we notice signs of grace, engage the scriptures, and learn to name our lament as well as our hope. Contact Clark Lemons at clemons@emory.edu. 

The Welcome Table: Sunday Evening Worship Service and Dinner  

Sundays at 5:00 p.m., In the Chapel and P305-306

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.

St. Hildegard 20’s & 30’s Women’s Chapter: Formation Potluck

Sunday, May 17, 6:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m., Ross Room

Women in their 20s and 30s will gather for our monthly formation potluck on May 17th. We will spend time connecting over a shared meal, followed by spiritual reflection. Please bring a dish or beverage to share. For more information and to be added to our email list, email Elizabeth Beck at ebeck.uga@gmail.com or Ani Hildebrandt at anihildebrandt93@gmail.com. 

Future of Our Block

We would love to hear from you about our work on the block. If you missed any of the previous emails, you can catch up on our website, and access resources, here. 

If you'd like to be in touch please reach out to Simon or to any of the following parish leaders:

• Meg Fogel, Egleston Task Force: meg.fogel@icloud.com

• Sheldon Taylor, Block Development Committee: gsheldontaylor@gmail.com

• Briley Brisendine, Senior Warden: brileybrisendine@gmail.com

As we move through the Easter season, we give in gratitude for new life and shared purpose. Thank you for helping All Saints’ continue to grow and serve with hope. 

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

During Services: put a check, cash, or the tear-out card in the offering plate

QR code: one-time gifts

Direct Electronic Transfer: gift stocks and securities

Our Charles Schwab account is: ”All Saints’ Episcopal Church”

Account#: 1084-6679

DTC#: 0164 Code: 40 

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

Memorial Evensong for Pentecost

Thursday, May 21, 7:00 p.m., Church

Join us once again for a Choral Evensong featuring our Parish Choir, in anticipation of Pentecost. Be enriched in worship with music by Charles Wood, Philip Radcliffe, and C. Hubert H. Parry, and have the opportunity to light a candle in memory of loved ones. A wonderful, quiet space in which you might invite friends to share.

Join the Summer Choir!

Sundays, starting May 24, 8:45 a.m., in the 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 each Sunday to learn an accessible anthem which is then sung at the 10:00 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!

Composer of the Week

Jennifer Page Kess Velázquez is a versatile concert organist who has performed across the globe, from the historic churches of London and Scotland to the concert halls of Ukraine. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with world-class ensembles like the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and renowned composers such as Dan Forrest. A graduate of the prestigious Eastman School of Music, she spent 25 years shaping the music program of a major Presbyterian church before bringing her talents to Boston. Beyond live performances, her artistry is captured on several professional albums, including a solo recording titled Lauda Anima. Today, she remains a prominent figure in the New England music scene, performing at iconic venues like Boston’s King’s Chapel and Trinity Church. Her new hymntune, Known By God, is the winner of the 2026 American Guild of Organists Women Composer’s Sunday competition.

ADULT FORMATION

The Journey Bible Study

Mondays, 11:00 a.m., Zoom

The Journey Bible study will take a summer break, starting Monday, May 26 until Monday, September 14. If you want to read ahead for the fall, try 2 Kings 18 till the end and/ or Jeremiah. We wish everyone a joyful and safe summer. To join the group, contact Karen Evans at kevans@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

A Program on Faith, Law, and Democracy

Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Ellis Hall

The event, co-sponsored by All Saints' Faithful Advocates, The Temple, Georgia Lawyers for the Rule of Law, and First Five Freedoms, weaves together spiritual reflection, legal analysis, and civic dialogue to address one central question: What does it mean to protect the rule of law and why does it matter for all of us, right now? Register online here. For more information, contact Suzanne Wakefield at faithfullocals@gmail.com.

Christianity 101: Faith Foundations

Wednesdays, April 15 - May 27, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Room P305/306 or Zoom

Are there things you think you should know about Christian faith but don’t? Things you wish you could articulate but don’t quite have the words for? Whether you are a new or

long-term parishioner, this class is for you! Taught by Jenny McBride, this course may serve as a bridge between the Adult Inquirer’s Class and the School of the Spirit offerings. It’s open to anyone who wants to learn — or relearn — the basic building blocks of the Christian tradition and their relevance for our life of faith. For more info, contact jmcbride@allsaintsatlanta.org.

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.

Reflections on All Saints’ Pilgrimage to South Africa

Sunday, May 24, 11:20 a.m., Ellis Hall

Join Simon Mainwaring and Naomi Tutu after the 10:00 a.m. service as they offer a reflection on the recent parish pilgrimage to South Africa and the beginning of a new partnership with Holy Cross Anglican Church in Soweto. For more information, please contact Simon Mainwaring: smainwaring@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

Volunteer Receptionists Needed

All Saints’ is seeking friendly, reliable volunteers to serve as receptionists. Duties include greeting visitors, answering and directing calls, and providing basic assistance. Half-day shifts available— ideal for college students on break or retirees looking for connection. Interested? Contact Marie-Louise Muhumuza mmhuhumuza@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Wednesday Night Supper

Wednesday Night Supper takes a break for the summer and will return on August 19!

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Summer Break

Our children’s and youth programs take a break for summer, as do our children’s and youth choirs. Our nursery will remain open for children, ages birth through Pre-K, 9:30 

a.m. to 11:30 a.m. All our children’s and youth programs will return in August. Email Emily Halbert for more information at ehalbert@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Vacation Bible School - Registration is Open!

Monday - Friday, June 1-5, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. with Aftercare option 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., 3rd fl Pritchett Center

VBS is the most spectacular week of the year! We get to dive deeper into our faith stories, play and pray together, do art, science, team-building games and drama with a lot of singing and story-telling added in. It is one of the few times where all ages of kids and teens interact together around their faith while parents, grandparents, and other adults help to make it all happen. Invite a neighbor/friend and get a special gift. Sign your child or grandchild up now at https://bit.ly/VBSAllSaints2026. Volunteer to help us out (teach, help guide kids to classes, check in, gather and prepare snacks, prepare crafts, etc.) by emailing Kathy Roberts at kroberts@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 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! 

Respite Care Atlanta-Alzheimer’s Association Lecture Series

Thursdays, May 14, June 11 & July 16, Offsite
Respite Care Atlanta is partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association and the Atlanta Neuroscience Foundation for a lecture series. The first has been held but there are three others: May 14, June 11 and July 16. This is a great opportunity to learn more about dementia and caregiving. For details and to register, go to the Atlanta Neuroscience Foundation website or email Kim Franklin at kfranklin@alz.org.

Threads Welcomes Families For Shopping

Threads welcomes families for in store shopping every Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. We offer more than clothing — we offer dignity, comfort, and hope. If you’d like to help, your presence makes a real difference.

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 gift — choose Threads Donation in the drop-down box: https://onrealm.org/AllSaintsEpisco85474/-/form/give/now

Current Needs: Boys cotton boxer brief underwear sizes small, medium, large and extra large; Girls cotton brief panties sizes small medium, large and extra large.


Thank you for caring.

Faith & Justice Collective

A great way to stay updated! May's Faith & Justice Newsletter.

Read more about these highlighted topics:

• Attorneys Provide Legal Assistance for Immigrants
• Ken Stewart Answers the Call
• Forum on Faith, Law, and Democracy Set for June 2nd
• Don’t Forget to Vote in May Primary Elections
• Threads Seeks Summer Clothing
• Join the Saints’ for MAC 5K Race

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.