The texts for Sunday explore what it means to be a witness: the power of seeing and experiencing the resurrection firsthand. For those of us who weren't there in person to witness Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension, a question persists: How do we give witness? How have we experienced Easter firsthand? What do we need to see, to touch, to hear in order to believe?

The witness given in our readings today is extraordinary. "Doubting" Thomas comes up with one of the most powerful, concise creeds in all of scripture: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Peter and the apostles affirm their belief in Christ at great risk to themselves and their families. The Spirit is at work, giving ordinary, doubting people extraordinary boldness to declare the core beliefs of Christian faith. God works in surprising ways, through unexpected people, to share the good news of Easter. With the Spirit's help, we can give witness too. [Sundays & Seasons 2016]

Come join us for worship as we live into the reality of the Risen Jesus in our messy lives of faith and doubt at 8:00 or 10:00 am. We'll continue to hear about encounters with the Risen Jesus and receive Communion standing as witnesses to the resurrection throughout Eastertide.

He is Risen. He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Bill+

P.S. Special thanks to our staff, musicians, women's worship group, and altar and flower guilds for sharing the blessing of your talents and gifts to create powerful worship experiences during Holy Week worship experiences.

Parish Administrator Resignation

With joy and sadness the Vestry has received the resignation of Donna Young effective April 15th. For six years (through the retirement, interim and welcoming of our three Rectors) Donna has shared her passion and professional gifts with All Saints' as a key staff member-a joy for our parish. She has accepted a full-time position with the Town of New Durham as their Tax Collector and Deputy Town Clerk-a sadness for our parish (and soon to be joy for New Durham). Donna will be at both post-worship coffee hours on Sunday, April 17th for us to share our appreciation for her dedicated service to All Saints'.

The Executive Committee of the Vestry (Pastor Bill, Senior Warden Don Holm, Junior Warden Andy Milligan, Treasurer Beth Smith, and Clerk Gerry DeGeorge) will serve as the search committee. Any questions about this transition can be directed to any one of the search committee and the job posting will be shared when it is available. We will be using "Office Angel" volunteers to assist with office coverage during the search. Arlene Salzgeber will help coordinate office volunteers and work with Pastor Bill on parish voice and e-mail communication.

Standing During Easter Tide Communion

While the distribution of Holy Communion at All Saints' has traditionally been done by gathering and kneeling as one is able at the communion rail, standing is the more ancient practice and is especially suitable for the Easter season. This year we will experience continuous communion, standing at a station on the floor by the baptismal font. You are invited to come forward and receive the bread from Pastor Bill and move to the side to receive the wine from a Eucharistic Minister. We stand to honor the resurrection (verses a more penitential kneeling) and to have a greater sense of the communion of saints that extends before us and follows after us. The communion continues and we are simply part of this open-handed cloud of witnesses receiving the life-giving bread of heaven and the grace-filled cup of salvation.

Commissioning of our Pastoral Visitation Team

Sunday during the 10 o'clock service

Called to Care was a six week program that Danielle Pierpont, Arlene Salzgeber, Joanne Crowe, Phil Wasmuth and Donna Young took part in. It was taught here at All Saints by Pastor Bill and Pastor Gina of the Congregational Church of Wolfeboro. Members of their congregation also took part in this training. The Pastoral Visitation Ministry makes personal visits, phone calls, sends cards or emails and provides practical, emotional and spiritual support to those who are home bound, hospitalized or live in care facilities.

Bible Study: A Walk through the Acts of the Apostles

Starts Thursday, April 14th

Bishop N.T. Wright says that the mysterious power of Jesus haunts the whole story of Acts. Jesus is announced as King and Lord, not as an increasingly distant memory but as a living and powerful reality, a person who can be known and loved, obeyed and followed a person who continues to act within the real world. We call the book "The Acts of the Apostles," but we should think of it as "The Acts of Jesus: Part Two." We will read through the book together to see how Jesus' acts through the apostles inform and empower our acts today.

Join us Thursday afternoons 3:00-4:00 pm followed by a brief Eucharist in the Beck Memorial Library. Please bring your favorite Bible or use one from the library. It would be helpful to let Pastor Bill know your are coming -- or, just show up April 14th!

Lay Leadership Institute May 6-7

Deadline to register April 15th

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 make 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.

Deadline to register is April 15th, please contact the church office if interested in attending.

Safe Church Training April 18th

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.

Hops & Hymns @ Hobbs to beneift Starting Point, May 2

Join us for a fun, faith-filled Hops & Hymns @ Hobbs (HHH) on Monday, May 2 at 6:30 PM in the upstairs loft of Hobbs Tavern in West Ossipee to benefit our ministry partner Starting Point, a non-profit service provider for victims of domestic and sexual violence. The event features musician John Read of Cape Cod who leads hymn sings in bars and pubs across New England. This fun, appropriate for all ages and abilities event is a great way to end a Monday with food and fellowship.

All Saints' Wolfeboro is co-sponsoring HHH with Camp Calumet-Ossipee, First Christian Church-Freedom, Lutheran Church of the Nativity-North Conway, Moultonville United Methodist-Ossipee, The Madison Church-Madison, and St. Andrew's-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church-Tamworth. Together, we invite you and your friends to sing hymns, laugh out loud, learn more about Starting Point, enjoy Hobbs' wonderful gathering spot, and meet new friends from across Carroll County. All are welcome!

Calling All Men! Mother's Day Coffee Hour - May 8.

It has been suggested that the men of the congregation do coffee hour on Mother's Day. I am hoping that I can find some assistance with this quest. Thank you, Anne Hunt, annehuntpt@gmail.com

Also, a most sincere thank you to Robert & Danielle Pierpont, Bob & Ann Champagne, Ritva Torma, Gail Holm, Carla Bickford, Cate McMahon, Karen Hasselman, Carolyn Hoffmann, Louise Locke and Polly Jeffers for all their assistance with the Easter Sunday coffee hour. Many hands make lighter work for all.

Hospitality Team

After a year hiatus, I would like to regenerate the Hospitality Team for All Saints' Church. The mission of the group is open. We will work to promote the socialization of our community by offering a comfortable, welcoming environment for all. If you are interested in helping, please contact me. Anne Hunt annehuntpt@gmail.com or 569-5650.

Help Wanted

Senior Center

The Senior Center is looking for back-up dishwashers after lunch on Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays. If you are interested, please contact Program Director, Chris at 515-1385.

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

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.

Life Ministries

We welcome any and all donations of non-perishable items. April's item is canned chicken. 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

10:00 a.m. Friends of Music - Library

1:00 p.m. Adult Bridge - Library

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

7:00 p.m. Photo Club - Parish Hall

Tuesday

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

1:30 p.m. Scrabble Club - Library

5:30 p.m. Lakes Region Convocation - Parish Hall

Wednesday

9:00 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

10-1 Lord & Tailor Shop

3:00 p.m. ASSTG - Stevens Room

5:00 p.m. Dinner Bell

6:00 p.m. Stamp Club - Library

Friday

10-4 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