I have some disappointing news to relay on our conversation about buying 4606 N. Paulina. 

First the results: the voting was strongly in favor of pursuing purchase, and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to vote and submit thoughtful comments on the topic.  And second, the emerging hitch to all of this.  I have been in touch with various individual members of the two diocesan committees to which we would need to submit our proposal to make the purchase. They have made several troubling things clear to me.  Chief among them is that the Bishop and Trustees Committee that would finance the purchase could not vote on the purchase before July, at their summer meeting.  They are changing their May meeting to a joint gathering of the Trustees and Cathedral Commons groups.  No general business will be on the agenda.

Those same committee members have also said this: it is by no means certain that Bishop and Trustees would be prepared to move on the house purchase immediately, regardless of the May versus July meeting dates.

It all adds a great deal of uncertainty to the process, and the potential for lengthy delay.  I don't think either is fair to impose on Helen Poot and Mike Mattson, who would have to keep their house off the market through the spring selling season without an assurance that this deal would go through.  We are so grateful for their generous offer, but we can't ask them to assume that kind of risk.  

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Our situation has not changed.  We are growing like crazy, and we need more space. Eventually, if not this year, then at some point in the not-too-distant future, we need to find some way to add to our footprint.   Specifically we need more space for our church school program.  I intend to make this issue a part of whatever our next capital campaign comprises.  I also hope to go to Bishop and Trustees and try to put some sort of pre-arranged agreement in place so that  in the future we are able to move forward in purchasing suitable property in a prompt manner.  I will also invite our vestry to re-examine our space issues and create other creative solutions.

On the one hand, this is a good problem to have:  All Saints is flourishing, so much so that we are bursting at the seams.  On the other, we have a century-old building that needs a great deal of care to continue our ministries.  We have to find a balance that recognizes both of those pressures.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to us continuing to focus our energies on our transformative outreach programs, our church school  AND on renovating the exterior of our much used and well-worn building.  The work on our foundation is almost complete.  This time last year our church sanctuary was in desperate need.  A year later we are resting on a firm foundation, a foundation on which I have every belief we will continue to build and grow.  

So now let us turn our attention from the structural to the spiritual...

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday.  We'll be gathering in the parish hall for carnival festivities.  We'll bless palms, process outside, stop traffic, sing hymns, have communion and then we will read and hear the passion of Christ's crucifixion.  This year's passion will be punctuated with tympanies and cymbals.  It promises to be a compelling offering, and I invite you to make every effort to join in this worship experience.

On Monday, please join me, Fran, Jack, Andrew, Lori and Liz at CROSSwalk, a procession of public lament for the more than 600 young people who have been killed in our city since 2008.  The procession begins at St. James Cathedral at 5:30.  Buses leave from All Saints' promptly at 4:45. Please contact Jack Clark, jack@allsaintschicago.org to make a reservation for the bus.  If you can't make it that early, please join us anywhere along the procession.  Details are at www.crosswalkchicago.org.  It is our vision that we will have two people in the procession for every one young person killed.  Please come.  Please bring your friends and neighbors and colleagues from work.  

Each time I speak with a mom whose son or daughter has been murdered my heart breaks a bit more.  I am hoping that this procession will break open the collective heart of our city so that all of our children in our city will be safe.

We enter now into Holy Week. May this week make us ever mindful of Christ's love for us and for all the lost and least of this world.

In Christ,

Bonnie

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. For more information or to sign up, visit  www.crosswalkchicago.org.

We are still in need of more volunteers. Volunteers can still participate in the walk and the stations. Greeters only "work" at one station (and will be bused from the previous station to the station they are working). Marshals will walk the whole route and be at each station. We are grateful for any assistance you can provide. Please feel free to contact Jack if you have any questions.

A bus will be leaving All Saints' for St. James Cathedral at 4:45pm, and two buses will be returning to All Saints' from Stroger Hospital at the end of the event, which we estimate will end around 8:30pm. Email Jack at jack@allsaintschicago.org to reserve a seat on the bus.  

Bus transportation is also available along the route for those with mobility issues by checking the transportation box on the online registration or by emailing Scott Lybrand at sdlybrand@gmail.com.

The procession route includes the following stops:

5:30 pm, St. James Cathedral (Wabash and Huron)

6:15 pm, Daley Plaza (Washington and Dearborn)

7:00pm, Old St. Patrick's Church (Adams and DesPlaines)

8:15pm, Stroger Hospital lawn (Harrison and Wood)

We hope to see you there!

Join us on Wednesday April 4 for our final simple soup supper and 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. 

Many thanks to long-distance parishioner Amy Healey who volunteered to work on the Chicago Consultation map this week!!!! Yay Amy. Another grateful shout out to Joey Sylvester and her convertible VW Beetle who made several trips to get our palm plants! 

• Do you feel God calling you to pass out Easter Eggs filled with a couple of pieces of candy and an invitation to our Easter Egg hunt? In past years, we've had folks "hop" from door to door offering our neighbors some information on some of our Easter Activities.  

   Could you be that person this year?

           Talk to Bonnie if you can help.  We'd like to pass out the eggs                  THIS Wednesday sometime in the afternoon.

• The Chicago Consultation will once again be gathering in Chicago the week after Easter. Bonnie needs help getting a few people back and forth from Midway Airport to St Chrysostom's on the Gold Coast. Tuesday, April 10 and Thursday April 12th. Most of the people arriving are coming in around. 9:00 or 10:30 on Tuesday and departing Thursday in the afternoon. E-mail Bonnie at bonnie@allsaintschicago.org or speak with her if you can help. 

   Guaranteed the person or people you pick up will be interesting!

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 afternoon from 4:30 to 5:30 April 3.  Bring your own Bible!  If you don't have one--we'll supply one--we are after all--a church!

This Wednesday April 4, Bonnie will be leading one more inquirer's class geared for people who may be new to All Saints, the Episcopal Church or Christianity.  We'll conclude "A Newcomer's guide to our Sunday morning worship service" and or explanation and discussion of the Eucharist. 

We will 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!

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.

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.

Do you LOVE to go to WORK every day? Do you know how to turn your STRENGTHS and PASSIONS into a CAREER? If you are unemployed or underemployed or just want to spend some time thinking about what you want to be when you grow up, please come to the Jobbing America "Interview to Win" boot camp hosted at All Saints, including a WORKPLACE STYLE assessment, iPOWER personal brand building steps, five personal VIDEOS, and a terrific opportunity to learn how to GET THE JOB you want. All for just $139 for the April session (regularly $279). Only 10 spots left, REGISTER NOW by calling or emailing Laura Youngberg at (773)-816-3606 Laura@jobbingAmerica.org.

April 19th Thurs (evening 6-9pm) and continues April 20th Fri (day 8-5pm)
May 17th Thurs (evening 6-9pm) and continues May 18th Fri (day 8-5pm)