First of all I need to send a great big shout out and congratulations to Isabel Conde, who was one of four speakers at her 8th grade graduation from Ravenswood School.  Isabel is both a nine and eleven o'clocker and a new member of the All Saints' Youth Group. Next year she will be a freshman at Walter Payton.  Woo-hoo!

Secondly, another round of congratulations to Carl Mowery, Andrew Freeman, and Matthew Sorokac for being confirmed in the Episcopal Church last Sunday at our Cathedral.  We are delighted that you have found a home in this holy, catholic, apostolic tradition. 

All Saints' newest Episcopalians!  (L-R): Carl, Andrew, Bishop Jeff Lee, Matthew

Next Sunday, the 24th, will be our annual round of Stump the Staff. At all three Sunday morning worship services you will have an opportunity to ask the staff any theological, spiritual, liturgical, scriptural, musical, or sea kayaking questions you may have found yourself pondering.  We'll be up late Saturday night studying and preparing, so bring on your best quires. 

Remember the Hunger Walk next Saturday, buses leaving from All Saints' at 7:30am, and Pride Parade next Sunday.

This week Ms. Jack Clark, AM. M.Div. will be preaching.  Come and join us for a thoughtful, reflective Sunday.  

Wasn't the weather this week just awesome?  Remember to offer God a word or two of thanks--for the warm sunshine and yet another day in which we can figure out how to live compelling meaningful lives.

See you soon,

Bonnie

Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 23, when the Greater Chicago Food Depository steps off for its 27th annual lakefront Hunger Walk rally to raise money and awareness for hunger relief in our community.  Hunger Walk will take place at Soldier Field again this year.  Registration begins at 7:00 a.m., and step-off is at 8:30 a.m.

100% of the funds raised by RCS walkers will go directly to the purchase of food for our Tuesday night Food Pantry and Community Kitchen.

Learn more about the event, how to register, and RSVP on the Facebook event page HERE. 

Staging begins between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. (We'll know the exact time one week prior); Parade steps off at Noon

With over 750,000 people attending last year's parade, 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 mean to show our Church on the affirming side of inclusive love.  

This year's parade features a new route that is about 2.5 miles long, beginning at Montrose and Broadway and ending at Diversey and Sheridan. If you've never marched before, it is an amazing experience you'll never forget.

We'll have a giant puppet, signs, streamers, music, and even a minivan if you get too tired! All you need to do is show up-- and wear a blue t-shirt!

To march with us, please email Matthew Zaradich for more information at  matthewzaradich@gmail.com. Please put "Episcopal Pride" in the subject line. Further information will be provided as it comes available. We need an accurate count of marchers, so please email as soon as possible!

At General Convention, 2009, our church passed five church-wide environmental initiatives. This summer at General Convention,  nine more resolutions related to the environment will be introduced. Why should our church care so much about the environment? How might contemporary understandings of the cosmos, Trinity, grace, and sacrament provide a theological basis for treating creation care as a fundamental aspect of the mission and baptismal ministry of the church? How does our baptismal covenant reflect and shape our commitment to care for the earth? Come and explore these questions and the connections between baptism and creation care with one of All Saints' own "resident" theologians, Terry DeLisio. Terry teaches theology and liturgy at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and at other Chicago-area schools.  She is also a member of the Bishop's Task Force on Sustainability for the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.

Merci, merci to each and all for your very generous support of GS4 on June 9th.  We had a stomping good time while raising close to $8000 to support Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative in New Orleans and Bayou Grace Community Services in Chauvin, LA.  If you want to learn more about their amazing work, check out these URLS:  www.jerichohousing.org/and bayougrace.wordpress.com/

Our friends from Bayou Grace who cooked up the tasty jambalaya, beans, and Ms. Wylma's bread pudding, kept saying, "It sounds like we're at home!" They're still a bit amazed there's a following for this food, music,  dance, and support for their work up here.  

In gratitude, 

Cajun Fred on behalf of the Gumbo Stomp4 Krewe

Available Sundays are:

July 29

August 5

August 26

October 7

October 14

October 21

Mote and Bonnie met at the South African Consultation on Sexuality that was hosted by the Chicago Consultation and the Ujamaa Centre.  Mote will be visiting the US as a guest of the Chicago Consultation.  After spending a few days here in Chicago he will travel down to the Episcopal Church's National General Convention. Mote is a theologian and has an amazing ministry with street children in his home town of Iringa in Tanzania.