Dear saints,

On Tuesday night this week my family and I performed one of my favorite summer rituals. It was ‘$7 Tuesday’ down at the Midtown Art Cinema and so we wandered down our street, took a right and walked the couple of hundred yards that lead to the movie theater. I love that we can walk to the movies. When the attendant lets us know about parking, there is something liberating about being able to say with unmerited pride, “we walked”, as if we had started our amble that night in Cumming. On several occasions through the years we have very nearly been the only people in the theater. Perhaps the Midtown Art Cinema is not deluxe enough for some. There’s no food and drinks brought to you as you watch. There are no reclining seats and the whole place has a certain aroma that reminds me of middle school gym class. Yet it does have a member of staff who invites everyone to enjoy the show before the movie starts, offering greetings in multiple languages and ending with a ‘namaste’ blessing and bow. It is quirky and very much belongs to Midtown - a part of Atlanta itself still clinging to its wonderfully eccentric sense of self. And it is our ‘local’ and on weekdays in the summer when there’s no homework to get in the way, we go there as an extension of our living room to share the experience of storytelling on a giant screen. 

For me, summer is made of such things. It is the chance to slow down, the opening we need in the busyness of the rest of the year to be at leisure, the chance to wander along a sandy beach with nothing in particular to do but watch, and splash, and be startled by some glory or other of God’s audacious act of creation repeating itself over and over again. We make puzzles and cook on the grill and play a board game or two, but most of all we seek to achieve nothing. It is a time, in my mind at least, to be unproductive. Sometimes, we will break the rules and find ourselves all of a sudden rearranging a bedroom or inadvertently cleaning out the garage, but mostly it feels like one long sabbath day, and while from childhood I have always loved the beginning of a new school year, I also feel a small grief that the relentlessness of progress never ceases to ask for its payment as the tasks of the rest of the year emerge again and the long slumber of our summer days unavoidably comes to an end. 

The movie we saw on Tuesday night was The Odyssey, which both due to its storyline and sheer length invites the viewer into the question of what it means to be formed anew by the passage of time. In Christopher Nolan’s telling of Odysseus’s decade-long journey home, time is needed in sufficient amounts as to give room to reimagine the framework of a moral universe. Odysseus is reshaped not only by loss - of home, of his men, of himself cast adrift - but by time. As the story is told, we witness the king of Ithaca lay out the epistemic crisis of his life as a warrior, piece by piece, with each stage of the journey home given its due season such that he can learn to recognize himself within the successive parts of the tale. And should we care to look, we might see ourselves there too and our own confused ethics around warfare and our capricious inconsistency in how we value one human life more than another weighted by the accident of our places of birth and the direction the winds of the geopolitical ordering of things happen to be blowing at any given time. We can see how little we have changed in the 28 centuries or so since Homer wrote his epic - how we are still taught to fear the men ‘coming from across the seas’ and how the male desire to possess rather than honor the female is a character flaw that still plagues humanity all these years later. Homer’s story offers a cautionary note about the hubris inherent in our belief in progress, and how ethically barren our economic expectations for endless growth can be when they fail to be paired with any sort of understanding of what it means to be human.

I wonder, how is time forming you? Are you afraid of its passing? Do you look to the years ahead with a sense that you are running out of something precious, or have you arrived at some measure of contentment at the length of road you have already traveled? As Mary Oliver encourages us in her poem, Summer Day, this is the season for us to idle with such questions, ‘Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper?’ Who made you and I? Do we know that One? And do we love the One who has loved us from the beginning of all things? Such questions are always worth asking, of course, but we may not often feel able to attend to them. So, I say take the chance today provides you with and stop your productivity for a while and attend to the pieces of your life as you see them laid out before you. Wander down a shady lane. See a movie. Eat an ice cream. Think. Watch. Pray. And ask the poet’s question, ‘what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’

Peace,

This Sunday

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday, July 26, 2026

**SUMMER SCHEDULE**

• 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I (Traditional language, no music, Chapel)
• 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church & Livestream)
• 5:00 p.m. The Welcome Table (Contemporary language, jazz trio, Chapel)

WORSHIP ONLINE: Please worship with us online! Since we start our summer schedule, our only livestreamed service will be available live at 10:00 a.m. 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, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

NEW OVERFLOW PARKING: We now have newly available FREE overflow parking on Spring Street at the Varsity lot.

• Varsity: Look for All Saints’ sandwich board signs that say parking. Go straight into lot from Ponce.
• 670 Spring St Lot: Go past Ponce on West Peachtree, take a left on 3rd Ave, then take another left on Spring. Look for All Saints’ sandwich board signs that say parking.
• The Bank of America lot is still an option. Enter from 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.
• On Sundays, street parking is free (leave new bike lane open).

Stump the Organist

Sundays during July, 9:50 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., Church

Come early and request your favorite hymns, as played by our Director of Music, Scott Lamlein, and our Associate Director of Music, Justin Maxey.

Summer Preaching Series 2026: America @250

Sundays through August 2, Church 

As America turns 250 this summer, All Saints’ is marking the occasion with a five-part sermon series called America @250, with preachers from across the parish offering reflections on faith, history, and the nature of our hope as people who trust in the movement of the Spirit in our midst.

Jesus on the Front Page

Sundays through August 16, 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m., Ross Room

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.

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.

Read this week's update. 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

GIVING

SHINING IN THE CITY

As summer begins and routines shift, our shared ministry continues. Every gift helps sustain our community.

Thank you for helping All Saints’ shine throughout the season.



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

Music at All Saints' New Season Announced

Four Jazz at All Saints' artists and four classical concerts are scheduled for 2026-2027! A new brochure has arrived to reveal the full lineup of inspiring performances, celebrated artists, and unforgettable evenings of music. We hope you'll support us with your presence and your generous donation to this ministry. Visit allsaintsatlanta.org/concerts for details.

Three more weeks of the Summer Choir! Last chance...

Sundays, August 2 and August 9, Church

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 the10:00 a.m. service. No previous experience as a singer is necessary. There are a few more weeks before the regular Parish Choir begins its new season; all we ask is that you let Director of Music, Scott Lamlein, know you're coming: lamlein@allsaintsatlanta.org. Let's praise God together in our song!

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.

Save the Date for Kanuga

It’s that time again! Time for the 2026 Annual Parish Retreat at Kanuga. Join us Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4 at Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, North Carolina. For more information, please contact Marcia Mayfield at mmayfield@allsaintsatlanta.org. 

An Evening to Celebrate and Support our Global Partners

Saturday, August 22, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Ellis Hall

Show your support for our global partners in Tanzania, South Africa and Ecuador at an evening of celebration, food and music. We will gather with fellow pilgrims and parishioners, learn a little about the priorities of our global partners, and raise some funds to help them further their work. Tickets are $50. Childcare for children not of high school age will be provided. High schoolers and adults are welcome to attend. To register visit https://bit.ly/GlobalPartnersDinner. For more information, please contact Simon: smainwaring@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Deliver Backpacks for Refugee Ministries

Sunday, August 2, 11:05 a.m., Kennedy Courtyard

Thanks to the support of our parish family, all 91 backpack tags were claimed within the first two Sundays. If you're able to lend a hand, we are looking for volunteers to help deliver the backpacks to Clarkston following the service on Sunday, August 2. Thank you, again, for helping make this ministry such a wonderful success! If you are interested, please email louisam@allsaintsatlata.org.

Blessing of the Backpacks   

Sunday, August 2, 10:00 a.m., Church

Adults and children alike are encouraged to bring backpacks, briefcases, diaper bags, or computer bags to church with you to be blessed. Refugee Ministries donation bookbags will also be brought in for the blessing. Grab a Blessing Bag Tag for your bag as you leave church.  For more info email louisam@allsaintsatlata.org.

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Youth Tubing Trip | Saturday, August 8

Even though summer is coming to an end doesn’t mean that the fun must! Join us as we tube the Cartecay River with the Diocese of Atlanta. The price of the event is $30, which will cover transportation, tubing, food, and a snack! You will need to bring: 

·    Clothes that can get wet 

·    Waterproof shoes with ankle straps 

·    Towel 

·    Dry change of clothes (optional) 

·    Spending money (optional - meals are included in registration fee) 

If you want to tube with us, please contact Luke Nolfa to RSVP by August 3 at lnolfa@allsaintsatlanta.org or texting me at 470-590-3471.

Acolyte Kick Off

Sunday, August 9, 11:15 a.m., Church and Tate Courtyard

Calling all new and returning acolytes as we kick off the fall worship season together! Join us after the 10:00 a.m. service on August 9 for a delicious meal, an opportunity to meet our newest acolytes, connect with your acolyte team captains, and learn more about the important role you play in worship. If you are interested in becoming an acolyte, please reach out to Luke Nolfa at lnolfa@allsaintsatlanta.org or 470-590-3471.

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. Questions? Email KRoberts@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Registration Form for Children’s and Youth Choirs & Children’s and Youth Formation

Register at https://bit.ly/childrenandyouth26and27.

For more information, contact Kathy Roberts, kroberts@allsaintsatlanta.org, Luke Nolfa, lnolfa@allsaintsatlanta.org, or Emily Halbert at ehalbert@allsaintsatlanta.org.

Children’s and Youth Choirs—Summer Break and Fall Start Dates

Our Children’s and Youth Choirs are on summer break and will return in August!

Fall Start Dates:

·    Youth Choir Kick-Off: Sunday, August 23, 2026, 4:30-6:00; regular rehearsals start Sunday, August 30, 2026

·    Children’s Choirs Kick-Off: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 (see times below)

Children’s Choir Schedule (Wednesdays starting August 19):

·    Cherub Choir (Grades PreK-K, must be 4 by Sept. 1st): 4:00–4:30 p.m.

·    Primary Choir (Grades 1-2): 4:35–5:10 p.m.

·    Junior Choir (Grades 3-6): 5:15–6:00 p.m.

·    Junior Handbells (Grades 4-6): 6:00–6:30 p.m.

Youth Choir (Grade 7-12) Regular Rehearsal Schedule (Sundays starting August 23):

·    Handbells: 4:15 p.m.

·    Choir: 5:00 p.m.

Register at https://bit.ly/childrenandyouth26and27.

For more information, contact Emily Halbert at ehalbert@allsaintsatlanta.org.

We can’t wait to make music with you again soon!

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! 

Summer Volunteering at MAC

Summer is here and MAC needs extra help. With children out of school, the need for families facing financial crisis in Atlanta will be greater. We are currently looking for high school and college summer interns. Donations of food items and household products are always welcome. For more information on internships or how to organize a drive, please contact MAC at mac@midtownassistancecenter.org.

Volunteer Opportunity with Respite Care Atlanta

Respite Care Atlanta, a daycare for people with dementia, is looking for volunteers. The program is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and offers very flexible participation. It is a joyful, happy place for its "members" and offers respite for their caregivers. Come see what it's all about! Contact Susan Virgin for more information at sdv20@bellsouth.net.

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! June's Faith & Justice Newsletter. The newsletter takes a break in July, but will return again in August.

Read more about these highlighted topics:

• Celebrating Juneteenth
• Naomi Tutu and the National Council of Elders
• Holding on to Hope: All Saints’ Prison Engagement
• Clothing Drive Underway for Women in Transitional Centers
• New Chapter for Young Women at All Saints’
• Threads Performing Arts Camp

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 Flynn Allen at communications@allsaintsatlanta.org.