November Food Giveaway

The next Food Giveaway is on Saturday, November 11! We have a big need for volunteers and food donations! This is another opportunity to give food away to our neighbors in need. With the holidays approaching, we expect this to be our biggest food giveaway of the year! 

Volunteers are needed on Friday (unloading trucks, bagging produce, serving during the perishable food drive, and helping with set-up) and Saturday before, during, and after the giveaway. Sign up to serve and experience the joy of giving firsthand!

It is a blessing to provide non-perishables as well as fresh meat and fresh produce to every family who comes!

In addition to non-perishables, we need donations of bread and fresh fruit to be collected on Friday, November 10 between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Non-perishable Food items most needed:

·         Flour or Maseca

·         Canned Tuna or Chicken

·         Oats

·         Pancake Mix

·        Holiday items

Please pray! This ministry belongs to God and only through Him are we able to make a difference in the lives of others.

Thanks again for all your support! If you have any questions, please contact Tammy.

“You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.”

Deuteronomy 15:11

It's Not Too Late to Sign-up for Surviving the Holidays

Griefshare’s Surviving the Holidays Zoom with Deacon Julie & Deacon Andy is this Friday, November 3 from 7-9 p.m. It’s not too late to register to participate!

Bittersweet memories. Loss of traditions. An empty seat at the table. The holiday season can trigger sadness and despair for people grieving a loss. Join us for a 2-hour Zoom event called Surviving the Holidays where we talk about how to deal with grief around the holiday season: Friday, November 3, 7-9 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.

How Surviving the Holiday Works

  • Relatable Video: The event begins with a 35-minute video that will help you feel understood and encouraged, with stories of people who have found healing after loss and practical tips from experts.

  • Small-group Discussion: After the video, you will be given a safe, nonjudgmental space to share your experiences and feelings with the group—or simply listen. There’s no pressure to talk if you don’t want to!

  • Survival Guide: You will be given a Holiday Survival Guide full of tips on how to navigate the season, including coping with painful emotions, handling social events and traditions, and more. (Cost: $7.00)

November is National Adoption Month!

November is National Adoption Month in America and All Saints' Church is participating throughout the month with information and support. Last Sunday we heard testimonies about adoption from within our own congregation. This Sunday, November 19 we are taking up a special offering for the Anglican Adoption Fund administered by Anglicans for Life. Please consider making a generous donation to help support Anglican families seeking to adopt, as it is a very costly process.

Thora Davis Funeral Service Friday, November 3

Thora Davis’s funeral service will take place on Friday, November 3. The visitation will be from 9-10 a.m. with the service at 10 a.m. There will be a reception immediately following the service. A private family interment ceremony will take place later in the day.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be given to these organizations:

The ARC of Greater Prince William County

13505 Hillendale Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22193

The American Cancer Society

Getting to Know the Church: Elizabeth Munzert

For our final interview in the 2023 edition of “Getting to Know the Church” we heard from our new Parish Administrator, Elizabeth Munzert. The position of Parish Administrator includes so many responsibilities and is truly at the center of the church’s day-to-day operations. Elizabeth has brought joy to her new position, and we are grateful for her willingness to step into such a vital role! She answered a few questions to help us get to know her more.

What brought you to ASC and how did you find yourself in this new position?

My husband Kim, and I did some research on Anglicanism and thought we would give All Saints' Church a try.  The liturgy was familiar to us because we were both raised in the Catholic Church as children, but it was Father Scott's preaching that made us return week after week.  As to how I found myself in my new position, it was decidedly the hand of the Lord.  Early this year the Lord impressed on me that He had something for me this year.  I had no idea what that meant.  A few weeks later I learned my position at work would be phased out by the end of 2023.  After much, much prayer I spoke with Father Scott and Desiree about applying for the position.  I think this is what the Lord was preparing me for in January.

Where did you first get plugged in at All Saints’ Church?

My husband, Kim, and I began serving at the Monthly Food Giveaways several months after we first started attending. We started by helping on Thursdays with sorting the food, then we moved into helping on Saturday mornings at the actual giveaways. We served as bagging buddies, worked at the food tables, and now serve as greeters. It was the perfect way to serve the community and get to know others in the church.

What does your day-to-day look like as Parish Administrator?

Every day is a new adventure!  I've learned there is no such thing as a typical day because the needs, requests, and requirements are quite varied.

What's been the most unexpected thing about this position?

The most unexpected thing is how much I've had to learn about HVAC, fire panels, backflow, lighting, and other physical plant matters very quickly.  This job is not just computers and keyboards.

What has been the highlight so far about working at a church?

Easy question. I've never worked with so many truly kind, helpful people (and I've had the good fortune to work with many fine people).

What is your hope for All Saints' Church in the coming year?

My hope would be that we would all pray to know what God's plan and vision is for All Saints' and work together moving forward toward whatever that plan is.   My other hope would be that people who have not really been involved in an area of ministry at All Saints' would volunteer to do one thing in 2024.  If many people just do one thing, so much could be accomplished.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Mere Christianity (again) by C.S. Lewis, A Severed Wasp by Madeleine L'Engle, The Good and Beautiful God (for the Christian Ed class on Sundays) by James Bryan Smith, and actually quite a few other books which are in the book piles on my bedside table and dresser.

What is your favorite part of the Bible to study/read?

My three favorite books are Isaiah, Psalms, and Philippians.

How can we pray for you?

However you feel led by the Lord.  He knows better than I do.

Fall Parish Workday

Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 28 from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. when we will gather for our seasonal Fall Workday!

Tasks to complete:

  • Spread compost and overseed

  • Clean up community garden

  • Work on other gardens

  • Cleanup Gideon Drive

  • Prune growth from base of trees

    Please bring:

  • Iron rakes

  • Shovels

  • Pruning shears

  • Work gloves

Shine Your Light!

With this year's Pre-Synod workshop topic "The Art of Neighboring: Going Deeper with People in Your Neighborhood," (Saturday, November 17, read more and pre-register here) and all that God is doing within our church with community outreach, All Saints' once again encourages you "to be overflowing with God's love..." in your neighborhood this Halloween as you “Shine Your Light this Night!”  Don’t miss the chance to bring the light and love of Jesus to a dark night by sharing Christian hospitality and friendship.  To Shine Your Light for Jesus in your neighborhood, you might:

·         Decorate in a way that proclaims Light and Life, perhaps with spotlights, cheerful Fall decor, and/or simply turn on all your lights.

.      Invite an elderly or lonely neighbor to join you in handing out candy, or to enjoy your firepit or yard.

.      Invite a new neighbor or one that does not have a church home to spend the evening with you.

·         Borrow a lawn game from church for children to play and set it up in your yard.

·         Pick up a Christian Pumpkin template from church and carve away. 

·         Offer visiting parents a small bottled water for their journey.

·         Engage parents in conversation as their children play a game or select a treat.

·         Add labels that have a neighborly message to your treats (available in the atrium).

·         Hand out glow sticks to the children.

 Shine Your Light this Night is another opportunity to demonstrate that Faith and Life really do connect!  

Getting to Know the Church: Josh Moore

Josh Moore & Jim Morrison have recently stepped in to serve as co-leaders of Adult Discipleship. Together with their committee, they plan and teach Adult Sunday School and other opportunities for adults to grow in their walk with Christ. Last week we featured Jim Morrison, and this week Josh thoughtfully answered some of our questions and gave us a better insight into his life and how he’s serving All Saints’ Church!

What brought you to ASC and what drew you to serve?

When Sarah and I moved to the area, we knew we wanted to visit an Anglican church. Waiting on our doorstep when we moved in was a new copy of the Yellow Pages. We paged through and All Saints’ was the first Anglican church listed. We visited our first weekend and never went anywhere else. Once at All Saints’, it was only a matter of time before I was asked to serve in various ministries. Over time, that has focused into serving with Adult Discipleship by teaching and leading. 

What is your role as an Adult Discipleship Leader? 

In practical terms, Jim and I complement each other with gifts, interests, and time availability. Working together, we’ve been able to have a presence at staff meetings without an Adult Discipleship staff member. We’ve also been regularly meeting with Fr. Scott since neither of us is on staff. We also work with the rest of the committee to find new teachers and leaders to come join us. 

Why Anglicanism?

I grew up in the Baptist tradition and didn’t encounter most of the broader church until college. When I did, I quickly began to appreciate a more formalized liturgy and written communal prayers. Then I spent a semester in England where I encountered a specifically Anglican liturgy. The liturgy strongly resonated with me, but my initial experiences in Anglican services left me wondering how much many of those around me in the pews actually believed what the liturgy said. It left me with a hope to find a church where I could have both the beautiful and powerful liturgy and people who really believed it. I have consistently found that at All Saints’. 

What is the process for deciding what to study for Adult Education? 

As a group, we try to listen for where God is leading All Saints’ and how we can best follow and help others to follow as well. We work with Fr. Scott to give guidance on where he sees God leading so we are in agreement with his vision. And, we try to be responsive to requests from fellow parishioners. 

What are you currently reading?

One book I’m currently reading is “The Good and Beautiful God” by James Bryan Smith. And anyone who is interested is welcome to come read it with me, we meet in the Bishop’s Conference room on Sunday mornings at 9:45. I’m also a little more than halfway through my 2nd Circumnavigation of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series. 

What book or author has had the biggest impact on your walk with Christ?

For me, that would be the Book of Common Prayer. Over the last ten years or so, I’ve worked with varying degrees of success to follow the BCP’s pattern of daily prayer. At times, it’s been a blessing, at others a chore, and more than once I’ve wondered if it was helping much at all. But seeing formation in the short term has been rare in my life, and in the long term, I can truthfully say that it has made an enormous impact on who I am and what my faith looks like. 

What is your favorite part of the Bible to study/read?

For the last couple of years, I think I’ve spent more time in the Psalms than anywhere else. This is partly because of the breadth of emotion and language that the Psalms show us for interacting with God. But it has also been because in finding sung versions of the Psalms, they have entered into my head and heart in a different way than just reading does. So, I frequently find psalms, or portions of psalms, coming to mind unbidden as I go through my day, particularly in moments when they are a help or comfort. 

How can we pray for you? 

Parenting young children is tiring. Doing that while serving the church can be more tiring. More than once during an Adult Discipleship meeting, I’ve done my best to focus while our three girls were upstairs seemingly interested in seeing how loud it was possible for them to be. I’d say that Sarah and I both, and probably any other parent you see serving in some way at church, would appreciate prayers for good rest. 

Fun facts?

I love board games, though I struggle to find and make time to play them regularly. The favorite for Sarah and I recently has been Splendor Duel.