A big shout out to our chef, Kristen Romans, and her many assistants, and Liz Embler, Fran Holliday, Lori Gee, and all the people who helped make for such an awesome All Saints' Cafe. 

Thank you so very much to our young people and all of the folks who work with and spend such quality time with them.  In particular I'd like to give a great big shout out to the people who mentor our youth group: Beth Lee,  Becky Gould, Ahn Gallagher, Joey Sylvester, Jen Simokaitis and Patrick Pressl!  You rock!  This Saturday is the annual youth group overnight--so look for some tired out people at the 8:00 service this Sunday.

In addition, this Sunday, we have another candidate auditioning for our music director position.  Jim Malley will we with us at both the 9 and 11 o'clock worship services.  As we have done for our other candidates you'll have an opportunity to offer your thoughts and feedback on the music he creates with us.  

Next week, Memorial Day Weekend, is Pentecost!  To celebrate the day PLEASE REMEMBER TO WEAR RED OR ORANGE.  This is the feast day when we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit to the apostles in the early church and it is a day when we do baptisms.  If you or your child would like to be baptized please send Andrew an e-mail at andrew@allsaintschicago.org and plan on attending this Saturday's pre-baptismal session at 9:00 in the morning.  (You are more than welcome to bring your little one to this hour long session.)

The sun is coming up earlier each day.  The light stretches on well past your commute time!  Here's hoping you are getting some quality time outdoors to remember and appreciate this awesome place in which we live.

I'll be preaching on Sunday and I am looking forward to seeing you all.

In Christ,

Bonnie

Remember those beautiful Wednesday evenings last summer on the front lawn spinning the "Wheel of Awesome" and exploring rich and evocative spiritual topics such as "Sin: What Really Counts?" "Envisioning a Christian Economy" and "Biblical Bad Girls"?  Summer 2012 is nearly upon us so . . . let's gather to explore how we can continue to deepen our spiritual lives together.

Please join us in the Reading Room to brainstorm ideas for this summer's adult education and formation at All Saints'.  Bring your creative ideas and something to offer for our "pot luck brunch" (muffins, fruit, juice, bagels, etc).  Please consider coming even if you've never participated before. 

If you need child care, please let us know ASAP.  Contact Jeanne Wirpsa at 773-316-6936 or adultformation@allsaintschicago.org.

We invite you to join Bonnie and CROSSwalk leaders for a meeting on Monday, May 21st at 7pm to reflect on the experience of CROSSwalk. We will discuss how All Saints' might be involved in moving forward with addressing the violence affecting youth in our city. RSVP's to Jack at jack@allsaintschicago.org are helpful, but not required. 

Our relationship with the Anglican church of Santa María Virgen in Xalapa,Mexico, has been slowly developing for the past four years. With the appointment of Padre Byron Chanchavac as the new vicar earlier this year, we begin a period of exciting new possibilities for our relationship.

Padre Byron has extended a heartfelt invitation to the people of All Saints' to visit this summer during their annual celebration of their patron, Santa María Virgen, on August 19.  They are anxious to get to get to know more people from All Saints' and to share our common faith and vision.  Padre Byron and his congregation are planning many special events and activities for us, including the opportunity to stay with a Mexican family, see the sights of the area and have some Spanish lessons.

We have been to Xalapa three times, have made many friends there and want so much to have others from All Saints' experience the love and fellowship we feel every time we visit.  We are tentatively planning to leave Chicago on August 15 and to return on the 21st.

Xalapa is a lovely colonial city in the temperate mountains of Veracruz State, far away from the dangers of the border regions.

Please contact us for more information or if you have questions.

Dave and Karen Howe,  773-539-1124, howe_dv@sbcglobal.net

That time of the year is approaching... Pride Month is almost here, and with it comes one of the largest street parades in the world: The 43rd Annual Chicago Gay Pride Parade! 

Chicago's annual Pride Parade provides an excellent opportunity to approach such mission. With last year's attendance at over 750,000, this is an amazing opportunity to deliver our message of hope in Christ, of complete love and acceptance in God, and of changing the world through the Holy Spirit to a massive audience. While the world hears many stories of religion on the side of exclusion, we purport to show our Church on the affirming side of inclusive love. 

...and we need YOUR help!

Join us for a planning meeting for the Diocese of Chicago entry in the Pride Parade:

Wendesday, May 23, 2012

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.-ish

All Saints' Parish Hall

We need your creative mind! We need your construction skills! We need your help gathering food and water! And we need you to march with us at the parade! 

RSVP to Matty Zaradich at matthewzaradich@gmail.com

Do you relish the thought of teaching 7th and 8th graders about the financial realities of life?  Pilgrim Lutheran School is hosting its second annual Reality Fair and needs your help!  Come  help kids learn about the value of a paycheck and prepare them for the future.  Thursday, May 24th, 9:30 -11:30 am at Pilgrim Lutheran School, 4300 N. Winchester, Chicago, IL  60613.  We could use brand-new as well as seasoned volunteers to help with this event.   Please contact Debby Maddox to sign up:  dcmaddoxes@yahoo.com.

On Saturday, June 9th, this year Gumbo Stomp means gumbo! Well, maybe jambalaya! For our 4th annual benefit to rebuild New Orleans and the Louisiana coastal wetlands, we're tickled to announce the return of traditional Cajun foods, and here's the lagniappe: friends from our partner organization, Bayou Grace, will be on hand to stir the pot! Last year for the first time we allocated some of the Gumbo Stomp proceeds to help the bayou area south of New Orleans, which has suffered not only hurricane devastation, but also extensive unnatural land loss and the havoc of the BP oil spill. And for the first time, on our work trip last fall, we went down to that area to see first-hand what a bayou is and get our hands in the mud, planting stabilizing wetlands grasses way down in Bayou Lafourche. Bien sûr, the food is only one reason to come to Gumbo Stomp. 

Our terrific band, the Midway Ramblers Cajun Band, will again provide the music  - and there'll be dance instruction for those who'd like. Come dance or just keep time to the music, right here in the Parish Hall from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. $25 gets you all this and the chance to help. Tickets available for purchase on the All Saints' website, or click the "buy now" button below! For info or to volunteer, please see Barbara Dufford, Joey Sylvester, or Lucy Jenkins, or write to gumbostomp@allsaintschicago.org. MERCI! 

                      Tickets: $25   

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.