I want to take this opportunity to let you know about the exciting change that is coming to Ravenswood Community Services (RCS) on March 27, 2012.  We will officially be unveiling the "Choice Model" at our Food Pantry.  This means that our neighbors will be able to make 

a choice about what they wish to have in their bags out of the choices that we have in stock. This is a switch from our current model which is a "Pre-Bagged Model", where everyone who comes to the pantry receives the same items.  

This is a change that we have been discussing over the last year.  We also applied for and received a grant from the Greater Chicago Food Depository to become a "Choice" pantry. A group of our volunteers have been working hard to think through and run through a way to set up food stations so that our neighbors can go from station to choose their items.

All volunteers and interested persons are welcome to attend a brief training and discussion regarding the "Choice Model" on Tuesday March 20 at 7:30 in the Reading Room. We will have food so please let me know if you plan to attend at  fran@allsaintschicago.org or you can call me at RCS 773-769-0282.

We are always in need of volunteers at our pantry and meal program on Tuesday nights. If you wish to volunteer please contact our volunteer coordinator Liz Embler  (email)

Bonnie has returned from her kayaking trip in Scotland no worse for the wear, although she did tell me it was harder then she imagined it would be. She will be preaching on Sunday and is looking forward to seeing everyone.

Don't forget Sunday is Daylight Savings Time! Change your clocks before you go to bed on Saturday Night!

Blessings,

Rev. Fran 

PS - You can still download a pdf booklet outlining all our Lenten services and events by clicking this link:  Lent at All Saints' 2012 

The Justice Circle is sponsoring its second annual Lenten Film Festival every Friday during Lent. Film will begin around 7 p.m. Popcorn and pop will be provided, but feel free to bring additional treats and beverages.

The schedule is:

• March 9 Inside Job, the 2010 Oscar-winning documentary about the causes and effects of the 2008 financial crisis.
• March 16 Tying the Knot, a documentary about the real-life consequences of marriage inequality.
• March 23 Hidden in America, a drama about hunger and the working poor in the United States.
• March 30 Love Free or Die, a documentary about the ministry of Gene Robinson.

Also the Justice Circle will be participating in the screening of The Interrupters, about violence prevention here in Chicago, at Fourth Presbyterian Church downtown on Monday March 5th at 5:30 p.m. Cobe Williams, one of the Violence Interrupters in the film, will be there for discussion after the screening.

We hope to see you all there! 

Questions? Email adultformation@allsaintschicago.org

Since Padre Byron arrived just a year ago, the congregation Santa María Virgen in Xalapa, Mexico, has been growing rapidly, causing a prayer-book crisis (only about 11 books for a Sunday congregation just shy of 50 and home study groups four times a week).  With the funds that we raised at our Fat Cat get-together in January, we are purchasing Spanish-language prayerbooks to send to our friends there.  

Help us add a personal touch to our gift by signing them during Coffee Hour this Sunday, March 11.  Please come to the Parish Hall immediately after the 9:00 service and sign as many as you can - we need to do this quickly in order not to interfere with adult education session taking place there.  Thanks.

Join us on Wednesday evenings now thru April 4 for a simple soup supper and a time of contemplative prayer. We'll eat together at 6:00 and then move to the church at 7:00 for a half hour of prayer and silent meditation, utilizing Celtic prayers from the Iona Community. 

We'll be done by 7:30 for those heading to choir practice or EFM. Please feel free to join us on any or all of these evenings. If you are able to RSVP, we would be very appreciative! Joining us? Questions? Contact Kathy O'Donoghue at kmeod713@mac.com. 

On Wednesday, March 21, 28, & April 4, Bonnie will be leading an inquirer's class geared for people who may be new to All Saints, the Episcopal Church or Christianity.  We'll cover such topics as "How does Henry the VIII fit into our church?" What is sin? and "A Newcomer's guide to our Sunday morning worship service".  

We'll meet from 7 to 8:30, and if you'd like you can crash the Wednesday night supper group and avoid having your stomach rumble just as we are discussing the pros and cons of transubstantiation!  (Don't know what transubstantiation is--you are not alone!)  This will be an informal time to take in some theology, history and spirituality and find out a bit more about this quirky place here on the corner of Hermitage and Wilson.

Would you be willing to bake a casserole for a family who has had a new child? What about giving a ride to someone who can't otherwise make it to church? 

If you are interested in serving the All Saints' community, please join the Care Database! Send your email and phone number to care@allsaintschicago.org. When a need arises, you will get an email and information on how to help. 

Just one visit, one meal, one ride can make all the difference in the world to someone who needs it! Thank you!

More than 600 of our young people have been murdered since 2008.  As a faith community, we need to help do something about it.  Representatives from All Saints', St. James Cathedral, and the Diocese are leading a group of churches and community organizations from the Chicago area for CROSSwalk, a four-mile procession across the heart of the city to remember children we have lost and connect participants with opportunities for action.  

CROSSwalk takes place on Monday, April 2, and promises to be a moving way to begin Holy Week.  It will step off from St. James Cathedral, proceed through the Loop and stretch across the city to the lawn outside Stroger Hospital, with stops along the way at Daley Plaza and Old St. Patrick's Church.  At each stop we will lament the loss of our young people and-- importantly--commit ourselves to efforts that protect children and mitigate violence in our communities.  Please join us for all or part of the procession.  Buses will be available for those who require transportation along the route.  For more information or to sign up, visit  www.crosswalkchicago.org.

UPDATE:

Be sure to check the CROSSwalk website each week for a new Lenten meditation as we make our way towards Holy Week. The most recent meditations can be found by clicking HERE. 

All Saints' is hosting a monthly "Interview to Win" Boot Camp offered by the nonprofit Jobbing America Foundation.  This one and a half day workshop helps unemployed and underemployed participants identify their strengths and passions, refine their interview skills and develop a personal brand to communicate the best they have to offer to potential employers.  Each participant also makes five video presentations and receives individual coaching and peer group feedback to improve their presentation skills.  The "Interview to Win" Boot Camp will maximize your strengths, help you build an interviewing strategy and provide a forum for you to practice with your peers.  Our workshop will positively, absolutely, and dramatically increase your chances to land the job of your dreams.  

There is a maximum of 15 participants per month, so early registration is encouraged.  The full workshop cost, including 12 hours of training and two meals, is $279, and there are scholarships available for those who need it the most and can afford it the least.  Register online at www.JobbingAmerica.org, or contact Laura Youngberg at Laura@JobbingAmerica.org to learn more about the program and possible scholarships. 

Program Dates:

March 15 (6-9pm) - March 16 (8am-5pm)

April 19 (6-9pm) - April 20 (8am-5pm)

May 17 (6-9pm) - May 18 (8am-5pm)

Would you like to assist All Saints' in getting our message out and about in the community?  

We are looking for someone who'd be interested in reconstituting and leading a communication's committee. 

Let Bonnie know if you might be interested.

All Saints will include a dramatic reading of Christ's Passion at the 9:00 and 11:00 services on Palm Sunday, April 1.  If you would like to participate in these readings, please send an email to Juleigh Ruby at jmruby23@aol.com. 

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John: each author has a different account of Jesus' last days.  Each of these gospel writers depicts Jesus saying different phrases as he is dying on the cross.  How come?  Are they all true? Which one should we believe?  

These are just a few of the questions we'll wrestle with in Atrium 3 on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30 to 5:30 March 13, 20, 27, and April 4.  Bring your own bible!  If you don't have one--we'll supply one--we are after all--a church!

For almost a year, now, Karen Howe has been tutoring students in English at Iglesia Cristo Rey, a Hispanic Episcopal church on West Devon.  The students are adults who are working hard to learn English and appreciate our help very much.  You don't need to be a teacher or speak Spanish.  All you need to do is to help a small group (one-three) of students practice their English for a couple of hours (7:00-9:00) on a Wednesday evening.

 Would you be willing to help out one Wednesday a month (or more )?  Contact Karen (click here to email) for more information or to visit one of our classes.

What is Soup and Bread?

Soup and Bread is a free weekly soup dinner at the Hideout (1354 W Wabansia) where community members donate soup, bread, and the occasional sweet treat for all who choose to come.

How does Soup and Bread benefit RCS?

Soup and Bread is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.  On Wednesday, March 14 the collected donations will be given to RCS to benefit the Tuesday night food pantry and community kitchen.

(S&B has raised more than $15,000 for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, Western Washington's Food Lifeline, and many neighborhood food pantries, soup kitchens, and hunger relief agencies - like RCS!)