God's word for us today is nutritious and wholesome, though hard to digest. The gospel reading seems oddly brutal alongside the abundance and comfort of the Psalm 63 ("My spirit is content as with the richest of foods"). Even Paul finds himself using physical sustenance as a metaphor ("they drank from the spiritual rock, . . . and the rock was Christ"). Surrounded by this food imagery, we now find Jesus using some horrific events as illustrations. After the mingled blood and fallen towers, it may be hard to hear the fig-tree parable as the grace-full story it really is. But here is Christ himself as gardener: digging, fertilizing, protecting, and nurturing us. We are fragile creatures, living in a world of tragedy and terror, but God does not punish fragility with death. On the contrary, God sent Jesus to us so that we may live.

Living in that nurtured garden of Christ, tended to and cared for as we grow in that love, how can we keep from blossoming? Live, yes, and live fruitfully, our gospel proclaims! Grow, yes, and grow gloriously! Now the good news of Christ's redeeming mercy becomes clear: we are each treated with boundless mercy, not impartial justice. While the world may want to blame the withering tree for its inability to be productive, our Savior and Lord reaches into our lives, reminds us of our roots, nourishes us with grace, and allows us to bloom, to flourish, to freely share our gifts with the world. [Sundays and Seasons 2016]

The weather this week has been typical of New England with snow, ice and rain, clear skies and thundering clouds, peaceful calm and whipping winds. Thursday's thaw and springlike temperatures welcomed us outside again and moved us to open windows for the first time in months. Thursday reminded us that after winter there is spring, death there is life, and after fruitless times there is hope. Jesus through water and word, through bread and wine, and through dying and rising again gives us faith, forgiveness and a lifetime of second chance to repent and grow, to flower and bloom, and to bear fruit for the sake of all who hunger to know God's love. I invite you to worship this Sunday, to dig around and fertilize what roots you to the Cross of Christ and the Tree of Life.

Blessings as we journey to the Cross this Lent+

Bill

P.S. It's not too late to join us Tuesday afternoons at 4:00 pm in the Beck Memorial Library for Animate Practices as we explore the spiritual practices of our Christian life and walk.

Election Day Bake Sale

ECW Bake Sale on Election Day, Tuesday 3/8/16. All sorts of baked goods, soups and sandwiches are needed to make this a big fundraiser for us. Please plan on dropping off your items on Monday or Tuesday morning. If you have any questions, please contact Gail Holm at 569-3096.There is a sign up sheet in the parish hall. Thank you!

Summer Fair

We would like to thank the vestry for selecting us to be co-chairs for the fair. We will do our best to perform as successfully as our predecessors. It is never too early to start planning and with this in mind we hope all previous chair persons will volunteer to serve again. Please let us know. Also, if there is anyone who might be considering making a major donation for bidding, please let us know so that it might be effectively publicized.

Thanks,

Lynne Moughty & Charlie Kellogg

Saints in the News

As you may know, we have a section of the main bulletin board in the parish hall that features newspaper clippings of the people of All Saints' in the news. We are in need of a steward to keep the board up to date by clipping articles and pictures and post them to the bulletin board. Please let our Parish Administrator Donna or Rector Bill know if you would like to serve in this way.

Safe Church Training

The Episcopal Church of New Hampshire Lakes Region Convocation is holding a Safe Church at 5:30-8:30 pm on Monday, April 18th at St. Andrew's in the Valley in Tamworth. Please contact our Safe Church Minister Sandi Johnson or Parish Administrator Donna if you are interested in attending or have any questions.

Mission Ministry Team

All Saints is looking to establish a Mission Ministry team. This committee would meet to review and recommend where our Mission monies are donated. Gerry DeGeorge (569-1089 gerrydg18@gmail.com) and Beth Smith (289-8804 bethsmith967@outlook.com) from our vestry would like to hear from anyone interested in joining this group.

Help Wanted - Flower Guild

The Flower Guild is looking for some additional members. If you want to learn about flower arranging, please contact Louise Graham at 569-2876. You will be fully trained and this ministry is very rewarding. Thank you.

Vases Wanted

Attention All Vase Keepers: our Flower Delivery Team is in need vases, preferably about 10 inches tall with a neck of 2 � to 3 inches diameter. Thanks so much! Lynne Slocum

Be a Friend to All Saints' Preschool

All Saints Preschool is selling all purpose bags for $5.00 each. BUY A BAG. Please call the church office if you wish to purchase a bag.

Caregivers of Southern Carroll County

Drivers needed. This group is a non profit in town that provides rides for medical appointments to hospitals and doctors. You can choose how much or how little you wish to participate. You can also choose if you wish to stay local or drive longer distances. If you are interested, please contact Shirley Bentley at 569-3714.

Save the Date: Lay Leadership Institute May 6-7, 2016

The Lay Leadership Institute is our annual opportunity to learn the basics of vestry life, how the Episcopal Church works in New Hampshire, or to explore our call to Lay Ministry in other and more advanced content. Past seminars have included a Wardens' Roundtable and seminars on Leadership in the Church; Expanding Communication; and Listening Skills.

The Institute will again offer the threshold Basics Course, which is essential to lay leadership in the congregation. The Basic Course especially welcomes new and continuing vestry members. Those who have already taken the Basics Course will have a choice of four day-long seminars:

Bishop Hirschfeld will lead an exploration of liturgy in a seminar of interest to all persons who worship in church but especially to those who participate in defined roles as eucharistic ministers, altar guild members, lectors, ushers, choristers, acolytes, crucifers.
A seminar on learning the art of narrative will train participants in storytelling, a skill that helps us made sense of the life we live and offer that life to others. The seminar will be led by Laura Simoes, Missioner of Communication, and Judith Esmay, Canon for Lay Leadership.
Presenters from Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light will illuminate issues of sustainability and assist church leaders in the greening of church properties and practices. Their presentation will include information about calculating energy costs and sources of funding assistance.
Our annual Wardens' Roundtable will focus this year on the conduct and potential of mutual minister reviews, in exercises led by Hannah Anderson, Canon to the Ordinary and seasoned guide to critically important mutual ministry reviews in many grateful congregations.

More information and registration for these events will be forthcoming shortly.

Life Ministries

All Saints is going to be featuring an item monthly that is in need for the Life Ministries Food Pantry. We welcome any and all donations of non-perishable items. February's item is diapers (any size other than newborn). Please place donations in the basket in the narthex. Thank you for all donations!

Activity Schedule for the Week

Sunday

2:00 p.m. AA Meeting - Parish Hall

6:00 p.m. AA Meeting - Parish Hall

Mon/Wed/Fri

10 am - 2 pm Wolfeboro Senior Center and Meals - Parish Hall

Monday

1:00 p.m. Adult Bridge - Library

3:00 p.m. All Saints Strength Training Group - Stevens Room

Tuesday

6:30 a.m. Women's Worship - Sanctuary

1:30 p.m. Scrabble Club - Library

4:00 p.m. Animate Faith - Parish Hall

Wednesday

9:00 a.m. Caregivers Monthly Meeting - Library

1:30 p.m. Knitting Club

5:30 p.m. Table Tennis - Parish Hall

6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal - Stevens Room

Thursday

7:30 a.m. Men's Bible Study

10-3 Lord & Tailor Shop

3:00 p.m. ASSTG - Stevens Room

5:00 p.m. Dinner Bell

6:30 p.m. Wolfeboro Stamp Club - Library

Friday

10-3 Lord & Tailor Shop

8:00 p.m. AA Meeting - Parish Hall

Saturday

10-1 Lord & Tailor Shop

10:00 a.m. AA Meeting - Library

8:00 p.m.AA Meeting - Parish Hall

All Saints e-News

We hope you have enjoyed reading our e-News and we encourage your feedback to help us make it even better. We publish an issue weekly on Friday afternoon, to help keep you up to date and in touch with our current news and activities. We think this may be especially helpful to those that are unable to attend our Sunday worship services, are out of town and away for the season. Please let us know if you have some information you would like us to share in future issues of this newsletter.

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Rev. Bill Petersen

Rector, All Saints Church

Phoebe VanScoy-Giessler

Editor, All Saints E-News

603-569-3453