I have three pieces for you to contemplate:

1)Update on our community kitchen and food pantry holiday activities;

2) Events for this weekend

3) North wall construction update

This past Tuesday, Andy Kalish, of Ravenswood Event Center offered an amazing meal to our neighbors as part of our community kitchen and food pantry.  Andy, who provides a wonderful catered meal once a month for our neighbors  asked if he might do a special holiday meal.  We, of course, said, "Absolutely!"  So, in came the tablecloths, the linen napkins, the silverware and beautiful plates and glasses and table decorations.  And then he and his team offered a steak dinner with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, mac and cheese, salad and chocolate cake for dessert.  It was one of the nicest meals we've ever had in our parish hall.  I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the men and women and Andy who came from Ravenswood Event Center and spent so many hours ensuring that their neighbors had a memorable meal.

The only piece about the night that made my soul sad were the people for whom we did not have space- "no room in the inn," is one of those phrases that we dare not take lightly or turn into a cliche.

This Tuesday we will continue our holiday festivities by offering our neighbors in need, hats, gloves, scarves and mittens.  We'll also have hot cocoa on the front lawn.  Stop by--sing a few carols with us and get to know some of our neighbors--for this is exactly what this time of year is about!

It's the pageant this Sunday--at the 9:00 and 11:00 worship services.  Following the excitement of the pageant, we'll green the church and decorate for Christmas.  There will be a light lunch for all of the "greeners" (IF YOU'D LIKE TO DONATE SOME MONEY FOR OUR CHRISTMAS FLOWERS AND DECORATIONS PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK.) At 4:30 we'll have a service of Lessons and Carols and then adjourn to O'Shaughnessy's for "Beer & Carols".

We poured concrete this past Thursday.  Praise be to God in Heaven that it has been in the 50's the third week of December.  I've included the pictures below because they say more than I could ever explain about our church's foundation.  We have excavated the basement, poured cement, spliced beams together and are generally reconstructing major portions of the foundation.  It's a huge job.  We are on schedule.  There is more to be done.  We are going after it piece by piece. The money you have given to make this happen is being used to place our church on a much firmer footing. THANK YOU!  There's lots more to do AND we are making serious progress.  Take a look.

Ron Young, Contractor Extraordinaire

Looking up from the basement at the bottom of the high altar

Note from Beau: this is why we're not using the choir area!

Happy Advent.

All my best,

Bonnie

PS I'm starting to interview candidates for our parish administrator position this coming week.

Come join us for an oasis of quiet in the midst of holiday frenzy at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 21. 

This service of Evening Prayer is in the style of the Taizé community in France. Each candle-lit service lasts about 40 minutes and features meditative music, readings, prayers, and silence. Please join us in the church.

The 8am service is donkey free.

This year's pageant: "Extreme Makeover: Global Edition"

Pageant rehearsal schedule:

Major roles and choreographers
Sunday 12/4 at 10 am
12/11 at 10 am
Monday 12/5 4:00 to 6
Saturday 12/10 10 to noon
Wednesday 12/14 4 to 6 pm
Friday 12/16 4 to 6 pm
Saturday 12/17 mandatory dress rehearsal 3:00 to 7:00 then pizza

Smaller roles
Angels, Shepherds etc
Sundays 12/4,12/11 at 10:00 am

Mandatory dress rehearsal
Saturday 12/17 4:30 to 7, pizza to follow.

If you have questions call Bonnie at 773-561-0111 or e-mail her at bonnie@allsaintschicago.org.

No shopping to finish. No presents to wrap. Just our lovely old building dressed up in its Christmas best, Advent readings and beautiful music to help us reflect on the season and its loveliness.

The only thing better than going caroling is going caroling at your neighborhood Irish pub. We'll gather in the back room at O'Shaughnessy's Public House at the corner of Wilson and Ravenswood (fondly known as the church annex), eat food, drink beer (and other equally attractive non-alcoholic beverages) and sing carols....lots of carols. This is arguably the best way to keep warm on a cold winter's night. RSVP via the Facebook event here or email beau@allsaintschicago.org. 

Come join Bishop Lee and eminent authors Brian McLaren and Diana Butler Bass as they light fires, issue permission slips and dismiss fears about the future of the church.  It's all part of the Great Awakening and its a festival that you don't want to miss.  Visit www.seabury.edu/events for more information and to register.  

If you or your child would like to be baptized at All Saints', you'll need to plan on attending one of the pre-baptismal counseling sessions in advance of your baptism date. To sign up for a particular date, please contact the Parish Office at 773-561-0111 or info@allsaintschicago.org. To find out more information about baptism, please contact one our clergy, either Bonnie Perry (bonnie@allsaintschicago.org) or Fran Holliday (fran@allsaintschicago.org), or call the church office at (773) 561-0111.

Pre-Baptismal Counseling Sessions on Saturday, January 7 or 14 at 9am